Once again this weekend, Brookhaven Little Theatre offered area residents a delightful evening of entertainment with the holiday production, “Fruitcakes.”

For four decades now, BLT members have been sharing their talents with the community through BLT’s many plays and musical productions each year. “Fruitcakes” rounds out 2013’s programs, but there’s much more in store for 2014.

The organization also has been working diligently to restore and preserve the historic Haven Theatre on West Cherokee Street as not only a local landmark but also the home for their theatrical programs.

Having a little theater downtown helps keep our central city vibrant. It’s a shame so many stores have relocated from downtown in recent years, but it’s refreshing to see new businesses like The Crossing come into town recently and occupy a newly remodeled old building.

The recent repainting of the Homeseekers Paradise sign at the corner of Cherokee and Whitworth Avenue also has brightened up our downtown, particularly at night when the street lights sparkle off the fresh white paint. The Christmas lights downtown also add a festive touch at this time of year.

The huge crowd for the Christmas Parade brought renewed life to the heart of our city earlier this month. It was wonderful to see the streets filled with an especially large number of local residents this year for this annual event presented by the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce.

We encourage our community to bring more events to downtown. Let’s continue to breathe life into our city.