The holiday shopping season kicks off with energy and charity Friday at the annual Evening in the Courtyard at Mongoose Junction, from 4 to 9 p.m.
Mongoose merchants will donate items to be sold at silent auction with the proceeds benefiting the Gifft Hill School's scholarship fund and programs. The evening will also feature music and dance performances by students. Auction and raffle winners will be announced at 8 p.m.
Many Mongoose shops will feature activities and presentations for the evening.
- They include a book signing at the Friends of the Park Store by Caroline Rogers for her latest collection of gorgeous pictures in Coral Reef Stars, A Galaxy of Undersea Images and a special show at Bajo el Sol featuring Livy Hitchcock's pastel paintings. This will be called "A Puerto Rican Celebration" and will have new paintings by Livy whose inspiration is from a collection of black and white photos taken in the 1950's.
- Sugar Birds is excited to be showing a series of brand new original watercolors by Shari Erickson, done especially for The Evening in the Courtyard, along with a collection of her original oil paintings.
- Bougainvillea will have new holiday dresses and accessories.