Christmas decorations aren’t the only thing lighting up the Pavilion these days.

The Downtown Merchants Association has teamed with Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Luverne and Crenshaw County Chamber of Commerce to renovate the space into a concert and entertainment space.

Light fixtures were recently installed and Gary Mitchell of G. Mitchell Gallery said there is more to come.

“Once the weather permits, vines will be planted around the pergola and mini lights will be installed,” he said.

Martha Dickey, owner of 61 on Main, donated the light fixtures after talking with Mitchell and Greg Crouch, president and CEO of Pepsi Bottling of Luverne.

“We’re trying to do everything rustic or distressed and I just thought of them,” Dickey said. “They were in the store when I bought it. They weren’t even up. They’re really old and I almost threw them away.”

Luverne High School’s Ag students will help in the project. Mitchell said the group agreed to build a stage for the space. The original plan was to use donated Pepsi palettes in order to carry on the rustic theme, but the palettes were too brittle for the wear and tear the stage is expected to have.

The Pavilion, which is city property, will be a venue for outdoor concerts, art shows, plays, poetry readings and parties. The space will be as open to the public as any other park or municipally owned space is.

“We’ve already had some people express interest in performing there when it’s done,” Mitchell said.

Mayor Joe Rex Sport ordered wrought iron gates, but they have been put on hold because the City Council had questions concerning funding and Sport missed the last council meeting due to illness.

To keep options open, most of the renovations will be mobile. The 10×12-foot stage will have casters and the seating planned for the space will not be a permanent fixture.

“I think it’s something that people can rally around and enjoy,” Mitchell said.