By C. COLT CRANE

The Voice

MINI-CASSIA  – As the Thanksgiving holiday passes by leaving appetites satisfied and stomachs stuffed, another holiday staple comes into focus. Black Friday is upon the Mini-Cassia area and eager savings hunters are gearing up for the price slashing shopping events.

Local area businesses are setting up in anticipation of the shopping event. Listed below are the area vendors that will be holding Black Friday shopping events.

–          To prepare for the big shopping day, The Bent Bean will open its doors at 4 a.m. on Friday with drink specials including an extra free shot in any drink all day long and a White Mocha drink special to help lighten shoppers’ Black Friday.

–          ACE Hardware will open its doors at 7 a.m. on Friday and will be offering free coffee and hot chocolate to shoppers. The savings will continue through Saturday and Sunday with a 20% off Bag Sale.

–          Lee’s Furniture will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday. The furniture store will offer many door buster savings on a first come, first serve basis.

–          Skagg’s Furniture will also open its doors at 8 a.m. with special sales running all day until 6 p.m.

–          Walmart will be holding events beginning Thursday, November 22 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The retail store will also host a door buster event at 5 a.m. on Friday November 23, 2012.

–          JC Penney will have storewide savings with doors opening at 6 a.m. and lasting until 11 p.m.

Shopping and savings won’t be the only things to look forward to on Friday. At 5 p.m. at the Rupert Square, a chili feed will be held in preparation of the tree lighting ceremony. Chili will cost $2.00 with all condiments included. Cinnamon rolls will also be served for $2.00 in addition to coffee and hot chocolate for $1.00 to warm up the night.

The money raised from the chili feed will be put toward decorations for the square in subsequent years.

At 7 p.m. Santa Claus will arrive to kick off the tree lighting and fireworks display to herald in the Christmas season. Veterans will be offering wagon rides around the square and Rupert’s Caring and Sharing event will be held nearby at the Rupert Civic Center.

“It’s a really neat evening and there’s going to be a lot going on,” said Roberta Christiansen of the Rupert Christmas Lighting Committee.

Christiansen also stated that Santa would meet with and talk with children in Santa’s house during the event.

“As long as there are kids that want to see Santa, he will be there,” Christiansen said.

So get ready for the fun of Black Friday with the Mini-Cassia area’s multitude of fun events and door buster savings before heading over to the Rupert Square to enjoy the lights of the holiday season.