Planning continues for the Light up the Trace Luminaria Fundraising Event that will be held Dec. 21. The event  is held each year on the Winter Solstice and spans four locations in three towns across two counties.

All locations will have coordinated events happening on the same night and at the same time in an effort to raise funds to provide safety, security and lighting in the respective communities along the Longleaf Trace corridor.

“Monies raised in each location will stay in that location to meet each location’s specific needs,” said Gary Russell Bass, Director of the Jefferson Davis County Economic Development District.

The regional event is a first of its kind. Last year was the inaugural year for the event, with three communities participating. It has expanded in only its second year, with plans to continue expanding to include more event locations, participants, luminarias purchased, and also more volunteers with each annual event.

This year, the Prentiss Institute will join in the celebration with an event at the Rosenwald School, just a few hundred yards down the trace from Prentiss Gateway Park.

“The Longleaf Trace is a lifeline to the towns of Sumrall, Bassfield and Prentiss. The Longleaf Corridor has unmet potential for tourism and tourism is Economic Development,” said Bass.

This event focuses on uniting these communities toward a common goal of providing a safe and secure experience for trace travelers all year long while celebrating the season and honoring the special people and events in our lives during this special evening. The event is part festive holiday, part patriotic celebration, and part walk down memory lane.

Live music, food and vendors will be taking place in Prentiss, Bassfield and at Prentiss Institute.  Also in Bassfield, St. Peter Catholic Church will be presenting its live nativity that night and there will be a bonfire behind L. L. Roberts Methodist Church. The Rosenwald Building on the Prentiss Institute Campus will be available for touring during the event and there will be fish plates and sandwiches for sale on the campus.

Vendors and those with crafts or baked goods to sell are welcome to set up a booth and be a part of the community. “This is an opportunity to get out and maybe make some extra Christmas cash or show your talents in some way,” said Bass.

Luminarias can be purchased online by visiting the Light Up The Trace Luminaria Fundraising Event website: www.LightUpTheTrace.com or purchase in person by visiting Plum Trophy Sales or Priority One Bank in Sumrall, the AF Carraway Store in Bassfield, Bassfield City Hall or Prentiss City Hall or Alfa Insurance in Prentiss.