St. Nick ready for wild ride through county

St. John

Ol’ Kris Kringle figures to be a busy, busy man this weekend, as the jolly old elf is slated to make appearances in Colfax, Endicott, Garfield, Pine City, Pullman, Rosalia and St. John.

After posing for pictures from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday in the St. John library, Saint Nick will be the featured guest during the holiday parade which takes off from Primeland at 1 p.m.

Events and prizes will take place throughout town throughout the day.

Bingo will be played at the Denton Building from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with prizes ranging from a new TV to a $100 St. John shopping spree.

The Country Cuzzins craft fair will be in the fire station from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a soup fundraiser being served in the station’s dining hall.

A kids’ holiday movie will be played inside Moments Spa at 2 p.m. sponsored by the ESJ leadership class with caramel corn on sale. Admission is two cans of food.

Fireworks will blast over town at 4:30 p.m. to cap the day’s festivities.

The Community Club’s annual benefit prime rib or salmon dinner and auction will be in the community building Sunday afternoon, with cocktails beginning at 5 p.m.

Pullman

Santa shows up at Pine Street Plaza in Pullman on Saturday as part of the Chamber of Commerce’s celebration. Though the Plaza festivities begin at 4 p.m., the fat man’s estimated time of arrival will be shortly after that.

“He is Santa Claus. He is pretty busy this time of year,” said Marie Dymkowski with the Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a long way from the North Pole.”

Events begin with the Jingle Bell Fun Run for kids. The run begins at the YMCA office on Spring Street and winds up at Pine Street Plaza.

Santa will show up and Thomas Hammer will serve cookies and cocoa until 6 p.m.

Paradise Creek Brewery will have a marshmallow roast at 6 p.m. and the Repertory Theater of the Palouse presents its annual Holiday Revue at 6:30 p.m.

Rosalia

The Chamber of Commerce Holiday Market will bring vendors and crafts people to the Community Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The market is organized by Bonni Edgemon Loutherback of Moses Lake.

She reports 14 or 15 vendors have been signed up for the holiday market with most offering hand-crafted gifts and ornaments.

Downtown businesses will have Christmas specials Saturday with Pam Byrne at the coffee shop offering a free $15 Old World ornament with purchases of $15 or more.

Santa will be at the Fairlane Restaurant Christmas Party from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The party includes prizes, music and games.

The Grandmothers shop will be open during the Christmas event, but they have located their tree at the Budding Rose Gallery.

Pat’s Books and the Pinewood Cottage will also offer specials during the event.

Women of the community are invited to the annual Ladies Christmas party which will be at the Community Baptist Church Monday beginning at 7 p.m.

Rosalia residents can also donate to the giving tree program and the food basket fund at the Rosalia branch of the Bank of Fairfield.

Endicott

From Pullman, Ol’ Saint Nick heads west to Endicott, where he will help the Community Club kick off the Christmas season with a party at 7 p.m. Saturday. Pyrotechnician Tony Anderson’s fireworks will cap the celebration of the lighting of the town tree, with the Endicott Food Center providing refreshments for all.

Pine City

The Pine City Historical Society will present “His Song,” in the historic Stone Church Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the Kenova Grange Hall across the road afterward.

Garfield

Garfield residents plan a host of events to celebrate the Christmas season. Saturday, Dec. 1. The annual winter Ladies’ Brunch is scheduled at the Garfield Community Church starting at 10 a.m. The theme this year is “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” All are invited to come and bring a guest and a wrapped ornament.

Seedlings Child Care Center will offer a holiday lunch Sunday, Dec. 2, from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the downstairs fellowship room of the Garfield United Methodist Church. Admission will be $5 for adults and $3 for children and all proceeds will go toward playground equipment for the center. Following the lunch, a Christmas Musicale will be in the church sanctuary at 3 p.m. GarPal students under the direction of Becky Hemphill and many residents will perform Christmas music.

Garfield Community Association will sponsor the Starlight Parade down California Street Sunday, Dec. 9, starting at 5 p.m. Santa Claus will make his appearance in the parade and then greet children, young and old, at Mitz’s Cabinet Shop. Soup and hot dogs will be served with donations accepted to help maintain the town’s Christmas lights.

The annual free community Christmas dinner, sponsored by the town’s churches, is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, Dec. 16, starting at 2 p.m., at the Garfield Christian Fellowship.

Colfax

Santa Claus makes an appearance in Colfax on Thursday, Dec. 6, and as part of the annual winter celebration, there will be activities at the library and an evening parade.

The Colfax Library hosts several events throughout the day. Storytime begins with Baby Time at 10:10 a.m. The theme during Preschool Time at 11 a.m. is the letter “l” for letter carrier and children may write a letter to themselves. A Colfax Post Office volunteer will explain how a letter is delivered. The letters will be sent to each Storytime attendee courtesy of the Friends of Whitman County Library.

The Jolly Old Elf invites children to share their lists with him from 3 to 6 p.m. before he joins the Christmas Parade on Mill Street.

Leifer Photography will be available to take photos of children along with family photos.

The Friends of the Library will serve treats during the holiday celebration at the library.

New children’s books may be dropped off at the donation box at the Colfax Library. Any donated children’s items are taken to the Colfax Fire Department to be included with their annual Toy Drive.

The Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Colfax Chamber of Commerce, begins at 6 p.m., according to chamber secretary Kathy Clark.

Parade entrants line up at Rosauers and go up Mill Street to the United Methodist Church. First Baptist Church volunteers will give out hot chocolate in front of the church along the parade route.

Clark said a chamber float will lead the parade. Santa will bring up the rear of the parade riding in a fire truck.

After the parade, a fireworks display will be on the hill behind the Baptist church.