DERIDDER, La. (KPLC) – With Christmas just right around the corner, many are getting out to find the perfect gifts.

Friday night in downtown Deridder, residents shopped local with a “Sip-Snack-Stroll-Shop” event. Shoppers enjoyed hot chocolate and a light show while they explored what the downtown shops have to offer.

When shopping for the perfect gift, many of us turn to online shopping. But, sometimes we can find unique items right in our local shopping areas.

“There’s a lot of things that people don’t even know, that are down here that you cant find in your local retail stores, and it keeps it present,” Deridder Interim Mayor Randy Larken said.

The Deridder Main Street office hosted the event to give residents a chance to take a trip back in time.

“This event was held in Deridder many years ago, and it was successful, and a lot of people have wonderful memories of that, so we wanted to try it again, and to let people make memories of their own,” Deridder’s Main Street Director Elona Weston said.

Residents came out to enjoy all that the downtown area has to offer. Some of the participating merchants even offering discounts.

“This about bringing people to downtown Deridder, we have a lot to offer, our shops, our merchants, we have the light show going on, a lot going on tonight, so its showcasing our downtown in the best way that we can, and just bringing folks back,” Weston said.

While, shopping can be a fun experience in itself, there was also a little game to add to the fun.

Shoppers were given game cards. If you visited seven out of 13 participating merchants, your name was entered into a drawing for a prize.

“As you invest into the local businesses they turn around and invest back into their business, giving us greater opportunities to come back again,” Larken said.

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