Visitors of all ages will have plenty of activities to choose from Thursday evening as part of an effort to bring people downtown and enjoy the holiday season.

The event, “A Not So Silent Night,” from 4 to 8 p.m., will feature free horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers and an elf scavenger hunt, said Erin Hawkins, director of marketing at the Columbus Area Visitors Center.

Participating stores will offer sales on holiday gift items. Restaurants and bars will be offering food and beverage specials during the event as well.

“Our goal with this event is to activate downtown and give people lots of reasons to stay out a little later than usual and get into the holiday spirit,” Hawkins said. “It’s also a great way to support our local merchants.”

The elf scavenger hunt for children 12 and younger will bring them to 14 local businesses, where they can get a card stamped.

Scavenger hunt cards can be picked at the visitors center, 506 Fifth St., and turned in at the same location before 8 p.m. Thursday for a chance to win a grand prize package or four other prize packages, which will include items from downtown Columbus businesses.

The public can also visit Santa Claus from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Commons.

Diane Robbins, president of the Columbus Downtown Merchants’ Association, said the goal of “A Not So Silent Night” is to create a festive evening that engages a broad audience while also driving traffic to downtown businesses.

Food donations for the Love Chapel are also being collected and can be dropped off at downtown stores and at the main tent next to The Commons.

Last year’s Downtown Merchants’ Association event was called the Ugly Sweater Holiday Stroll. Hawkins said the goal this year is intended to get people downtown, but noted that it appeared that people felt too much pressure to wear over-the-top holiday garb.

This year’s theme has a broader approach, she said.

Jeff Baker, owner of Baker’s Fine Gifts & Accessories, said he is looking forward to Thursday’s event.

“I always enjoy the holidays because it’s the one time where people are happy and in a good mood,” Baker said. “A lot of times, we can eliminate the stresses in their lives.”

The business, which also plans to offer refreshments to customers, will also offer a 10 percent discount on purchases for anyone wearing an ugly sweater.

The White River Running Company, 325 Fifth St., will also be hosting an ugly sweater two-mile fun run/walk from the store beginning at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate its second year in business.

There is no charge to enter the fun run and prizes will be awarded for ugliest sweater. The store will serve refreshments and have prize giveaways after the fun run/walk.

The kidscommons children’s museum will also be taking part in the downtown holiday event from 5 to 8 p.m. with childcare being provided.

Youth ages 3 to 12 can spend an evening eating pizza, playing holiday games and make two gifts to take home while their parents are shopping, said Robbins, who also serves as community relations/marketing manager at the museum.

Pre-registration is required by today at a cost of $12 for members and $16 for non-members. Registration can be completed by visiting the museum, 309 Washington St., or by calling 812-378-3046.

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What: “A Not So Silent Night” event featuring free horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, Santa Claus at The Commons, an elf scavenger hunt and shopping at downtown businesses. The kidscommons children’s museum will allow kids ages 3 to 12 to play holiday games and make two gifts to take home from 5-8 p.m. with reservations being required.

Where: Downtown Columbus

When: 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday

Cost: Free (Fee for kids activities at the kidscommons children’s museum are $12 for members and $16 for non-members. Pre-registration is required by Dec. 12.)

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Columbus Municipal Airport officials are exploring whether commercial airline service is feasible in the city.

The airport plans to compile results of a feasibility study into a report that is expected to be released in January. Officials closed a month-long survey earlier this week that asked members of the public whether they would be interested in commercial airline service for business or leisure purposes. The survey also asked respondents what airports they typically use to travel.

If the airport and the community find that commercial air service is feasible, the next step would be to see how many Columbus residents fly out of airports in Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville, airport director Brian Payne said.

Payne said Detroit is one possible city the Columbus Municipal Airport could provide commercial air travel to, due to the availability of time slots.

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“We know as an automotive city, a lot of businesses here are sending people to Detroit quite commonly,” Payne said.

Commercial air service to Detroit was launched in November 2011, with direct flights between Columbus Municipal Airport and Willow Run Airport west of Detroit — available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Service was discontinued after about a year, however, when there wasn’t enough interest to make it financially feasible, Payne said.

The focus at the time appeared to center on two of the city’s largest automotive suppliers — Cummins and Faurecia — and wasn’t marketed effectively to other businesses in the Columbus area, Payne said.

Jason Hester, president of the Greater Columbus Economic Development Corp., said he thinks having commercial air service in place would be a good move.

More than half of the top 25 manufacturing employers in the Columbus area are automotive suppliers, and many of them already have established relationships in the Detroit area, Hester said.

“We do know there are local employers that routinely and regularly travel to Detroit,” Hester said.

If the airport were able to attract commercial flights out of Columbus, it would be another tool to help market the community, he said.

Cindy Frey, president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, said she agrees that implementing commercial air service out of Columbus would be beneficial.

Anything that helps local businesses be connected with their customers or suppliers is a plus, Frey said.

The survey was developed as part of work done by airport intern Rody Boef, who is studying aviation management at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Payne said.

The airport received more than 400 survey responses and also reached out to individuals around the airport through direct-mailing efforts to get their thoughts on commercial air service.

Costs tied to security-screening measures and other regulations with the federal Transportation Security Administration would need to be explored before making a decision, Payne said.

Such details will be evaluated as part of Boef’s overall analysis, Payne said.

“At the end of the day, you’re talking maybe one or two additional flights a day,” Payne said. “It’s very minimal from an operations standpoint.”

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A report detailing the possibility of commercial airline service at the Columbus Municipal Airport based on survey results will be compiled. That report is expected to be completed in January.

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