While Mother Nature didn't exactly cooperate, there was still snow filling the skies at Thursday's annual Candlelight Tour.
As revelers explored the shops, restaurants and kickoff to the Christmas season downtown, many also marveled at the snow falling along St. Clair Street.
Snow machines simulated the white precipitation, according to Harry Carver, director of Downtown Frankfort Inc.
The machines were mounted on the street lamps along St. Clair with special brackets. Carver said it took a couple of hours Thursday afternoon to get the machines ready for the Candlelight Tour.
Carver said the money " approximately $3,000 " to purchase seven snow machines was given to DFI by Mike Davenport.
The machines use a special chemical to create small bubbles that flutter from the machines like real snowflakes, Carver said.
The machines are not temperature-dependent and will be used by DFI for future events, Carver said. Although it was cold enough for natural snow Thursday, the leaden skies produced only few flakes in the area.
Carver said snow machines would run each Saturday in December, possibly along Broadway, in conjunction with the "Saturday with Santa" program.
Small, fluffy mounds of snow collected on the street signs at the corner of St. Clair Street and Broadway. It was a welcome sight for Will Greene, 12.
"I think it's awesome," said Will, who frequents the Candlelight Tour. "It's a good touch."
Donning a Santa Claus hat and munching a candy cane, Will said with the snow, decorations and hot chocolate it felt like the holidays.
"It just seems more like Christmas," he said.
Frances Greene, Will's mother, said this was the 15th year the family has visited the Candlelight Tour. Greene, who was celebrating her birthday, said she loved the snow.
"I think it's perfect," she said. "I think it should be here every year we don't have real snow."
She said the snow helps the tour meet its goal of getting people downtown and kicking off the holiday season.
Renee Moss, president-elect for the Frankfort Civitan Club, said the crowd was slow to trickle onto St. Clair Street, but by 7 p.m. traffic at the club's fruit cake sales booth had picked up.
"So far we've done great," Moss said. "We've had a crowd and sold some fruit cake."
With a table set along St. Clair Street, Moss said the club's view of the snow was excellent.
"I love the snow machines," she said. "I keep saying "it's real.'"
Kathy Marshall, president of the Civitan Club, said the snowflakes added to the image of a traditional downtown Christmas scene.
"Something I've noticed that I think is really sweet, is I've seen a lot of older married couples holding hands walking down the street," Marshall said.
She said the image of the couples evokes memories of spending Christmas downtown.
Carver said with the snow and large turnout (he didn't give an estimate on exact numbers but said the streets were "bustling"), the 27th Candlelight Tour was a success.
"It's just another one of those things that makes Frankfort a great place to live," he said.
Davenport was unable to attend the tour because he was on a cruise, Carver said.