We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Locals have a number of opportunities to get into the holiday spirit. This angel display, from last year's Harlem Country Christmas, was a favorite with strollers at the annual event. Check out the dates and locales for upcoming pre-Christmas events.
Thanksgiving Day will soon be over, then the Christmas holiday preparations can begin in earnest. That's true in our area as several organizations kick off the holiday season with a variety of bazaars and pre-Christmas events. Here's a summary of the events coming up, in chronological order:
• Friday, November 27, Chinook. The annual Festival of Trees, Parade of Lights and Christmas Stroll culminates downtown. Vendors will be in Wallner Hall this year. There are several afternoon events, a couple weather dependent-sleigh races or horse drawn wagon rides. Both the Blaine County Museum and Wildlife Museum will be open and pictures can be taken with Santa from 2 to 4 p.m. at Wells Fargo Bank.
Holiday gift baskets, wreaths, full-sized Christmas trees and other items can be seen and bid on in the lobby of the First Western Bank-from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. A final auction for the items will be at the Eagles Club, along with the Club's taco dinner, at 7 p.m. Auction proceeds will support local youth programs in Chinook. The parade will come down Indiana Street at 5 p.m. Tower heaters will be added this year for parade viewer comfort.
• Wednesday, December 2, Harlem. The Harlem Library will host its Wine and Cheese Festival at 6 p.m. There will be wine tasting and a silent auction featuring Sagebrush Hats Wines. Admission will be by ticket only, and tickets are limited. Tickets are available at the library, only 50 will be sold.
• Friday, December 4, Aaniiih Nakoda College, Fort Beknap. A Holiday Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the EKIB-TSAH-AH-TSIK Cultural campus on the Aaniiih Nakoda College campus. There will be vendors with a variety of items for sale. Lunch will be sold. Vendors may still reserve tables by calling 353-2607. Bazaar proceeds will go to the White Clay Immersion School.
• Saturday, December 5, Harlem. The St. Thomas Catholic Church will hold its annual bazaar and bake sale at the New Horizons facility on the northeast edge of Harlem. The event will run 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be gift items from various vendors with baked goods by the serving and lunch items. Call 353-2874 for more information.
• Sunday, December 6, Chinook. From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. the United Methodist Church will hold a luncheon with a bake sale and cookie stroll. Lunch will be Swiss steak with lots of baked goods by the serving. For delivery of lunches, call 357-2778 and leave a message.
• Wednesday, December 9, Harlem. The Harlem Civic association will host its annual Country Christmas from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Country Christmas incorporates various activities downtown centered around the Christmas Stroll. Businesses will have decorated trees with an opportunity for strollers to vote their favorite tree. The library will be holding a "homemade tree decoration contest" with categories for youth and adults. The library will be holding a used book sale and the Civic Association will have free popcorn at the library. New books will be for sale or order from November 23 to December through a vendor at the library.
The town's Christmas tree will be lit at 6 p.m. accompanied with musical presentations by the HHS band and chorus. Supper will be available at the Harlem Senior Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and results from the kids' coloring contest can viewed there as well. There will be bazaar tables and vendors at the Hitching Post Pizza location. Photos with Santa will be taken from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at KB's Deli. A number of door prizes will be given away, register at local merchants during the stroll. Weather permitting, there will be horse drawn wagon rides.
• Saturday, December 12, Chinook. Sweet Memorial Nursing Home will hold its Christmas bazaar, luncheon and garage sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will feature chicken jalapeno sandwiches (not too hot) and cheeseburger soup. There are 20 vendors scheduled with gift items from tin can flowers to quilts and books. The home's Relay for Life team will hold a garage sale, in the shop behind the home, to support their team's efforts in the annual fight against cancer.
• Sunday, December 13, Chinook. The Chinook Ministerial will host its annual community Christmas program at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church at 7 p.m. The program will include musical numbers and inspirational readings and is followed by coffee and cookies in the church's fellowship hall. It's ecumenical and all are welcome.
• Ongoing, Chinook. JUMP's Holiday Pie Sale will be completed the Friday after Thanksgiving but advisor Chrissy Downs said, "We usually bake a few extra that will still be available." You can call 357-2080 to order last minute pies, based on availability.
• Ongoing, Chinook. The Angel Christmas Tree is in Finley's Food Farm. You have until December 7 to take a tag from the tree and fill a Christmas need. Gifts to fill requests will need to be at the First Bank of Montana by December 7. Chinook High school's Honor Society will be wrapping the gifts for distribution on December 18.
Well, readers certainly have a lot of choices and a variety of ways to get into the Christmas spirit. Check out these local opportunities to help the community, have some fun and support local organizations and businesses.
