Cherryville is ready to unleash its inaugural revamped Christmas Festival on Saturday.
The Christmas Festival will take place from 1 to 5:30 p.m. centred behind Frank’s General Store on 1193 Highway 6.
Co-organizers Leslie Klatt and Whitney Riehl say the family event will include wagon rides, face painting, live entertainment, market vendors, marshmallow roasting over an open fire and photos with Santa.
The signature event at 5 p.m. will be the Cherryville Light-Up, as the switch will be turned on for more than 700 Christmas lights on a 16-foot high tree.
The public is invited to provide an ornament for the light-up tree if they wish.
“It will be widely visible. We were looking for a big impact and I think we are going to get it,” said Klatt.
Klatt and Riehl both recently moved to Cherryville and were used to taking their kids to Christmas festivities events in Vernon and Lumby in the past.
“So we thought why not do something like that here on an expanded level and we took on the challenge to organize it,” she said.
“The business community has been extremely supportive with sponsorship of contest gift certificates and other items.”
Cherryville Emporium, Frank’s General Store and the local golf course among others have donated such things as marshmallows, sourdough bread, a vat of pea soup, candy canes and hot chocolate.
“Vernon Home Building Centre donated the lights for our Christmas tree as many of our residents shop their for lumber and building supplies,” Klatt said.
Several fun contest are planned, starting with the home and yard decorating event. Maps will be provided at the festival for the contest entry locations and ballots an be submitted into a box at Frank’s General Store.
A limited number of Christmas trees will be made available for participants to decorate with their own lights and decorations, with the voting for the best entries to take place after the Light-Up.
Christmas baking contest entries must be in place by 2:30 p.m. for live judging at 3 p.m., with categories including cakes, pastries, cookies, gingerbread and squares.
Registration for judging can be done at Frank’s General Store or the Cherryville Emporium, 187 North Fork Rd.
The holiday cheer costume contest voting takes place at 4 p.m. on the entertainment stage.
No advanced registration is required.
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