Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Colfax businesses and organizations will celebrate the holiday season next Thursday, Dec. 7, with Winterfest, including Santa, a parade and fireworks.
The festivities will have a more solemn and touching prelude with the Tree of Lights and Remembrance Ceremony Dec. 6 at The Center at 5:30. The event honors passed loved ones and benefits Friends of Hospice.
Winterfest gets into full swing at 3 p.m. Dec. 7 with Santa and other events at Whitman County Library and The Center. Santa will be ready to lean his ear toward children at the library with the chance for those youth to have their pictures professionally taken while there.
Next door in The Center the Festival of Trees will be open for viewing and voting with music, local artwork, free cocoa and cider provided by Whitman Hospital and Medical Center and caramel apples and hand pies from JP Pies.
Trees and artwork will be available for viewing beginning Dec. 1.
Two rooms will be filled with decorated and themed trees and art and photography from local artists including Vickie Broeckel, Ken Carper, Greg Kessler, Bob Krikac, Nancy Rothwell, Rob Smith, Henry Stinson and Carrie Vielle.
All works will be for sale and proceeds will go to The Center roof project.
Tickets will be available to win the movie themed tree sponsored by Pioneer Title Company of Pullman.
Ticket sales also benefit the roof project.
Also at The Center will be a kids take-apart technology course.
Colfax business are expected to be open later hours with refreshments and specials to celebrate the event.
The Baptist church on Mill Street will be a warm place of refuge with open fire pits and hot cocoa available to the public.
Santa will exit the library about 5:30 to get in line for the parade on Main Street set to begin at 6 p.m. Once the parade begins, Pastor Dean Ellis will announce parade entrants from the Baptist church for those watching the early Mill Street route. From there the parade will go down Canyon Street to Main Street and north on Main.
Grand marshals for the parade is the 2017 state champion Colfax baseball team riding a lighted semi and trailer from Henning Farms, Oakesdale. Three of the team members came from Oakesdale. The baseball team will throw little baseballs as well as candy. As of Monday there were 17 entries signed up for the parade with more expected. As always, Santa will be bringing the parade home riding a Colfax fire engine.
Immediately following the parade, fireworks will launch into the night sky. This year the show, valued at about $2,000, is sponsored by Palouse River Rock.
“It should be a good show,” said Valoree Gregory, Colfax unified excutive director.
The Festival of Trees display will continue through the month with winners of the decorating contest and raffle announced Dec. 20 during the community reception and open house from 5 to 8 p.m.
Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.
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