It will truly be a celebration of new things in Marshall as the calendar rolls over to 2006 this Saturday.

Not only has The Marshall nearly completed Phase I of its renovation, but downtown has welcomed new businesses such as the Red Headed Lady and Under the Texas Sun.

These businesses and more are pitching in to make the third annual "Light Up the New Year" celebration on Marshall's downtown square an event which will draw out not only Marshallites but tourists, as well. The entire downtown square will be shut off from traffic for safety, and mounted patrol officers will keep an eye out for trouble.

"Apparently everybody's being really creative this year, all the restaurants and bars and grills are really knocking themselves out.