Xmas festivals

St. John

Jolly old elf to hit six towns.

Santa Claus and various support crew members have booked a whirlwind tour of Whitman County this weekend, with stops set in Endicott, Garfield, LaCrosse, Pullman, Rosalia and St. John.

Santa’s weekend tour follows an extended stop in Colfax today.

Hollywood will take over St. John’s annual Winterfest Saturday, as the town has agreed to move its annual starlight parade to the afternoon for filming of a motion picture. Start of the parade is set for 1 p.m.

Filmmaker Serena Belsby will be shooting the parade as part of her upcoming movie, “The Merry Graingers.”

“Hopefully they won’t want to do any double-takes,” said Angel Colyar, parade organizer. “Because we only have so much candy.”

Belsby, who has roots around Rock Lake, is making her independent film, about Christmas in the home of a dysfunctional rural family. It will include scenes in and around St. John over the next several weeks.

“I can’t tell you how much it means that St. John would move their parade for me,” she said.

Lead characters in Belsby’s script get stuck behind the parade on the way home for her father’s funeral.

Colyar said parade entries are considerably up this year. “But I’m not sure if that’s the daytime parade or the chance to be in a movie.”

As ususal, cash prizes will be awarded for parade entries in youth, junior high/high school and adult classes. The fireworks display that has typically crowned the evening parade will be at 5 p.m.

Several businesses will also display their craftiness on specially decorated Christmas wreaths. Visitors can stop into Moments Spa office on Front Street to vote for their favorite wreath.

Donna Harrison has made and donated a quilt for Winterfest with proceeds from the raffle benefiting the Community Club. The quilt can be viewed in the front window of the Community Current with raffle tickets on sale for $5 each or 5 for $20.

Country Cuzzins will have its annual craft fair in the fire house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A toy exchange will be set up at the Mercantile Laundromat with donated toys given to needy children.

Sunday night’s Winterfest dinner and silent auction will be in the Community Building with a social hour at 5 p.m. and dinner of prime rib or salmon at 6.

Tickets can be purchased at Webb’s Empire Foods or St. John Pharmacy. Proceeds from the dinner and auction go for upkeep of the Community Building.

The weekend also marks the final chance to visit the Smithsonian’s Museum at the St. John Library.

ROSALIA

All things winter will be celebrated in Spartan City Saturday with holiday events and specials throughout town.

Horse and buggy rides will chauffeur celebrants around the holiday scene throughout the day.

A Holiday craft fair will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Center with vendors selling winter foods, crafts and Christmas presents.

A Christmas carols sing-a-long will be in the Performing Arts Center during the afternoon.

Special seasonal sales and demonstrations will be at the Gifted Grannies, Smith’s Country Store, Pittman’s Town & Country and Pinewood Cottage, and new owners will serve up hot drinks at Rosalia Coffee and More.

Sally Elder will sign copies of her new book “The Best of Palouse Magazine” in Pat’s Books from 10 a.m. to noon. Another special book available is the “The Last Mission” by General Robert Goldsworthy.

Marcy Campbell’s third Rosie the Mouse book will also be on sale.

Those who want to share their secret Christmas wishes with Santa can bend his ear at Pittmann Town & Country.

PULLMAN

Pullman’s Holiday Fest will start Saturday at 4 p.m. in Pine Street Plaza. The first annual Kid’s Jingle Bell Fun Run will start at 4 p.m. Registration for kids 12 and under is $10 and starts at 3:30 p.m. at the YMCA Office at 105 NE Spring Street. Runners will travel down the Riverwalk Trail and end at the plaza, ringing their jumbo jingle bells all the way.

Prizes will be awarded for the best holiday costume. Free holiday entertainment from barbershop, choirs and dance teams will perform until 6 p.m. Free hot cocoa, cider and cookies will be served.

Butch the Cougar will count down to light the tree at 4:30 p.m., and Santa will arrive by firetruck at 5 p.m.

At 5:30, a winner for the Home for the Holidays Prize Pack valued at more than $500 will be drawn.

ENDICOTT

Santa makes his stop in Endicott Saturday night, where he will be accompanied at 5 p.m. by the lighting of the town’s Christmas tree, caroling, hot cocoa and treats.

Endicott’s night also ends with a blast as fireworks will explode over town following the festivities.

LACROSSE

Santa Claus will be in LaCrosse Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for free photos at the Teapot Cafe. Free juice and muffins will be offered for all children while supplies last.

A Christmas drawing will provide gifts for boys and girls in age brackets infants to 2 years, 3-5 year-olds, 6-8 year olds and 9-12 year-olds.

GARFIELD

Hot cider, raffle tickets, parade revelers, Christmas songs and Santa will bring festivity to the annual Garfield Winterfest Sunday, Dec. 4.

The day will begin with raffle tickets, a bake sale and silent auction at Garfield Methodist Church from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The auction will benefit the Seedlings Daycare playground equipment fund and feature items such as day trips to a buffalo ranch, Zeppo’s gift cards and vinyl wall art. Other things up for bid include smoked meat packages, bubble bath and candle baskets along with decorative snack platters and ornaments.

At 3 p.m. the sound of flutes and fiddles will note the beginning of the winter concert, which will run until 4 p.m.

Garfield Library will host a book sale with kids crafts and hot apple cider from 3 to 6 p.m.

At 4:45, parade goers will line up at the gas station for the 5 p.m. parade down Main Street.

Afterwards, all are invited to visit Santa Claus at Mitz’s Cabinets. Coffee and hot chocolate will flow, accompanied by many treats. Hot dogs and chili will be for sale as a benefit to replace old Christmas lights in Garfield.

Parks and Recreation board member Nikki Pfaff said all are welcome in the parade.

“Just come in to the gas station, line up and we’ll send you through,” she said.