Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Downtown Ennis

Downtown holiday events biggest ever in Ennis

Article Image Alt Text

Christmas and New Year’s Eve events were at a premium in Ennis last month as locals enjoyed the city’s stepped up holiday festivities.

“It’s so awesome,” commented Ennis Mayor Angie Juenemann.

Beginning mid-December, it’s been a full roster of varied activity downtown for locals: snow-tubing fun that kids love; the “Lights of Ennis” program of illuminated homes and businesses; and 2021’s biggest new feature, the first ever New Year’s Eve civic entertainment mixed with the official launch of its Sesquicentennial celebration, observing the Bluebonnet City’s 150th birthday.

Downtown Countdown to New Year’s Eve

Article Image Alt Text

Locals will converge in the historic downtown district to bring in the new year on Friday, Dec. 31, in first time event slated for 5-9 p.m. The Downtown Countdown will initiate the Ennis Sesquicentennial (150 years) with live music by Stratosphere.

The free event will provide activities for kids, food trucks and a countdown that concludes with a Firework Finale at 9 p.m.

Title sponsor, Ennis Regional Medical Center, is proud to help bring the party band, Stratosphere, with have numerous singers, backup dancers and a great horn section.

Eternal Rest provides heartfelt service from the heart of downtown Ennis

Article Image Alt Text

The corner of Baylor and North Dallas is where Gerald Weatherall, Sr.’s fourth branch of Eternal Rest Funeral Homes is located. And, coming in 2022, they will have a new home in Ennis.

Tina Perkins, the personable office manager, says “we will soon have a new location in town.” Eternal Rest will call 400 East Loggins Street their home. It has been formally known as Jones Funeral Home.

Merry & Bright

Article Image Alt Text

Downtown Ennis as a destination - never looked better. Alive and lit-up, the annual parade and block party, the Christmas Bluebonnet Market and the allure of North Dallas Street, Knox and NW Main Streets alive with shoppers, revelers and wide-eyed children. Thursday’s Lights of Ennis festivities were nothing short of magical. 

Carriage rides to bring Victorian Christmas cheer to downtown

Article Image Alt Text

Holiday carriage and surrey rides, spreading Christmas cheer, continued yesterday and will take place over the next three weekends in Ennis. These ticketed events (see online link below) are scheduled for between 5:30 and 9 p.m. on Dec. 10th, 17th, and 18th.

“Experience holiday magic in historic downtown Ennis via a horse drawn carriage or surrey through charming, tree-lined historic neighborhoods and downtown aglow with new rooftop lights,” enthuses Ennis: A Main Street City which is organizing the rides, sponsored by Ennis Regional Medical Center.

Alma, Ennis Smokehouse tandem enjoy great start

Article Image Alt Text

If one is good, then two is double the fun, or so it is since Alma Smokehouse has added a second restaurant near downtown Ennis. The barbecue and the atmosphere is making the new site successful since it opened on South Kaufman (near E. Ennis Ave) in June.

Susan and Jesse Martinez own them both and work at both, though they praise how well the tag-team partnership with in-laws Amelia and John Valdez, is working.

“We’ve partnered up,” said Susan, “and while it’s a lot of work, we enjoy the process. Jesse and I are at both while John and Amelia focus on Ennis.

Lights Of Ennis line-up declared

Article Image Alt Text

An annual crowd-pleaser, the Lights of Ennis (LOE) Christmas Parade returns in all of its splendor on Thursday evening, Dec. 2. It all begins at 7p.m., moving east on Ennis Avenue towards downtown.

According to Jennifer Wilson, of the Ennis Chamber of Commerce, there will be over 50 entries in the parade, and every one will be wrapped in lights.

People’s Choice Award Winners

Article Image Alt Text

Results are in and the City of Ennis collected its share of hardware for two major civic groups at last week’s Texas Downtown Conference. During the President’s Awards Gala, 10 statewide winners were announced as the People’s Choice Award Winners. Votes were collected on Facebook over October 18-22 with a local duo drawing top accolades; Best Promotional Event – Ennis’ Bluebonnet Trails Festival. Best Downtown Partner - Ennis Garden Club. Congratulations to these groups, their members, partners and sponsors.

Buildings plan to re-open with liquor licenses

Article Image Alt Text

Planners for business projects in town are currently under-construction with three local establishments. Two of them are awaiting approval of liquor license applications from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), and a third has cleared those hurdles years ago.

Details aren’t completely available, though preliminary work is transpiring where a new bar looks to replace the Irish themed Finn MacCool’s Pub at 207 W. Ennis Ave.

Autumn Daze hits crescendo, Oct. 30-31

Article Image Alt Text

Next weekend, Oct. 30-31, Saturday and Sunday, music will fill the air at the bandstand on the corner of Knox and McKinney in downtown Ennis.

The concerts, four on each day, will coincide with other happenings during the final weekend of Autumn Daze. Besides the entertainment venue, revelers of all ages can take in the fall carnival, Oct. 28-31. The carnival is from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and all day and into the evenings on the weekend.