13,000 candy canes
Kids get a sweet tooth as everything is snatched up in just a couple of minutes at the annual downtown hunt.
The annual Christmas Candy Cane Hunt in downtown Rome is a lot like a thoroughbred horse race.
More than 13,000 candy canes spread across the Town Green on Saturday were snatched up by children in less than two minutes, highlighting the Downtown Holiday Open House activities.
“I put out 13,562 candy canes,” said Vivian Richmeier with the Rome -Floyd and Parks Recreation, as she tried to console a woman and child who arrived just moments late to find the event over. “Our goal is to bring people downtown and to bring people together,” Richmeier said. “We want family events where people from all walks of life can come together and have a good time.”
Emma Frances Cromartie, 11, said she thinks she was able to grab up more than 50 candy canes and thinks they’ll last her all the way to Christmas.
Tripp Jones, 4, was not as quick as some of the other kids but according to his grandmother, he got more than enough of the sugary holiday delights.
After the candy cane hunt was over, many families waited through a lengthy line for a trolley tour of downtown Rome with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Downtown merchants have decorated their windows and storefronts for a holiday competition and welcomed the large crowd to the Broad Street district both before and after the candy cane hunt. Marc Shiflett at the City Creamery had a U.S. Marine Corps friend, Cpl. Michael Peace, back from Camp Pendleton in California to collect Toys for Tots in front of the creamery and gave an ice cream cone to anyone who brought in a toy.
“This is good for business,” Shiflett said.
Peace considered himself fortunate to be able to help collect toys for needy children. “Marc and the City Creamery are good friends of mine so I wanted to come and help out,” Peace said.
While some families took a trolley ride and others went shopping, a handful went into the Forum River Center to get a glimpse of the ice rink that is open daily through Dec. 29, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas days.