With Thanksgiving coming this Thursday, the Centralia Downtown Association (CDA) is giving area residents the opportunity to ring in Christmas along with it on Friday, Nov. 28, with a visit from Santa to help light Centralia’s Christmas tree at George Washington Park.
The tree-lighting ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, according to a CDA Facebook post. Sponsored by Peak Credit Union, the tree lighting at George Washington Park is free to attend and will also feature caroling, warm beverages provided by Life Center, and cookies from the Pacific Northwest Cookie Co.
For more information, message the CDA on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CentraliaDowntownAssociation.
If you miss out on Centralia’s tree lighting Friday, a number of other Noel-themed events, including more tree lightings, parades and visits from Santa, are scheduled in the upcoming weeks throughout the rest of Lewis County.
If you know of a Christmas event not featured in the article you believe should be previewed, email Chronicle reporter Owen Sexton at owen@chronline.com with event details.
Chehalis tree lighting and Santa parade
Over in downtown Chehalis, immediately following Santa’s appearance in the 75th annual Santa Parade on Saturday, Dec. 6, starting at 11 a.m., parade attendees are invited to the Lewis County Historical Museum for the fourth annual Chehalis Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, according to an Experience Chehalis Facebook post.
Also free to attend, those at the tree lighting can enjoy caroling and more at the museum, located at 599 NW Front St. in downtown Chehalis. For more information, message Experience Chehalis on its Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceChehalis.
The Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce is organizing the Santa Parade, with this year’s theme being “A Country Christmas,” as previously reported by The Chronicle.
Vader Christmas parade, tree lighting and bazaar
In South Lewis County, the City of Vader is hosting a number of events to ring in the Christmas season on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Festivities begin at the Vader Assembly of God, located at 302 Sixth St. in Vader, with special a Christmas shop for youth, where from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., kids with a Vader address can select a free, wrapped gift for up to two caregivers.
Also at the church from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., local vendors will be set up for a holiday bazaar for those looking to take care of Christmas shopping by getting artisan crafts and gifts for their loved ones. A bake sale, with all goods available by donation, will also begin at 2 p.m., and food vendors will be set up, as well.
Additionally, along with Santa visiting for photos, the Grinch will be there to help bring more holiday cheer.
Finishing off the day’s Christmas festivities is the Vader Christmas parade starting at 7 p.m., featuring music and caroling from local school bands and choirs — with the parade ending at the town’s Christmas tree for the lighting ceremony.
For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/4a5dy6se or call Vader City Hall at 360-295-3222.
Also on Dec. 6 in the neighboring South Lewis County community of Toledo, the seventh annual Toledo Santa Quad Parade begins at 5 p.m., starting at the Toledo Middle School, located at 155 N. Fifth St., and ending at Kemp Olson Memorial Park with hot chocolate, candy canes, caroling and more for parade attendees, as previously reported by The Chronicle.
East Lewis County tree lightings and parades
Over in East Lewis County, the cities of Mossyrock, Morton and Mineral all have Christmas festivities planned to show off their Christmas spirit.
In Mossyrock, the tree-lighting ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5, with festivities kicking off at 5 p.m. according to Mossyrock Mayor Randall Sasser, outside of Mossyrock City Hall, located at 231 E. State St.
Both before and after the official tree-lighting ceremony, attendees can enjoy warm drinks and festive cheer inside the Mossyrock Community Center next door to city hall, with Santa arriving thanks to a ride from Lewis County Fire District 3 in Mossyrock.
Hosted in partnership with the Mossyrock Area Action League, nine themed, decorated Christmas trees will also be available in a silent auction in the community center once again. Last year, proceeds from the Christmas tree auctions benefited Dylan Patrick’s Mossyrock School District music program.
This year, proceeds benefit the Salkum-Onalaska-Mossyrock Ministerial Association Food Bank.
Then, just down U.S. Highway 12 in the neighboring community of Morton, the Morton Christmas parade is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, with the parade beginning at Second Street Chevron in Morton and ending at Gus Backstrom City Park, located at 750 Main Ave. in Morton, according to parade organizer Kristen Lilley.
Following the parade’s conclusion, the Morton Christmas tree-lighting ceremony will be held in the park. For more information, email Lilley at kristenlilley@msn.com.
Finally in Mineral the next weekend beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, the Mineral Lake Lions Club will be hosting the town’s Christmas tree lighting outside of the old American Legion Storm King Post 171 building, located at 108 Front St. in Mineral.
Along with the tree lighting at Mineral’s Olde Town Christmas, Santa will be visiting for photos, decorating awards will be given out, and goodies will be available along with the opportunity to participate in caroling, according to a Mineral Lake Lions Club Facebook post.
For more information, message the Mineral Lake Lions Club on the club’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MineralLakeLions/.
