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East Oregonian/Hermiston Herald
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
EO Media Group file photo
Dontez White, 1, of Hermiston reaches out to touch Christmas lights during the Winter Festival in Hermiston.
Hermiston brings the magic
with trees, toys and lights
By JADE MCDOWELL
EO Media Group
Tickets are selling out
fast for one of Hermiston’s
most highly anticipated
holiday events, the Festival
of Trees.
The annual event, in its
24th year, kicks off with
a 21-and-over dinner and
auction at the Hermiston
Conference Center on Dec.
2 at 6 p.m. followed by
family day on Dec. 3 from
noon to 4 p.m. Money
raised by the festival — a
collaboration
between
Hermiston Kiwanis Club,
Good Shepherd Community
Health Foundation and
Soroptomists International
of the Greater Hermiston
Area — will go to support
local causes including
health and wellness grants,
financial assistance for
women returning to school
and a renovation of Green-
wood Park.
“We get the community
to support the festival and
then turn around and give
the money back,” said
Cathy Wamsley of Kiwanis.
Tickets for the dinner
are $40 apiece, available at
the Hermiston Conference
Center, and family day is
a suggested donation of
$5 per family. The rest
of the money is raised in
a combination of silent
auction and live auction of
large Christmas trees, small
artificial trees, wreaths and
baskets.
Liz Marvin of the
health foundation said
the trees and wreaths that
are donated each year
after being decorated by
sponsoring businesses are
“truly magical.” Each tree
includes a pile of gifts “for
a large family” underneath,
and is decorated in a theme
ranging from the Grinch to
Hawaii to a vintage feel.
“One year we had a Darth
EO Media Group file photo
Omar Campos, center, with Claudia Arellano and Bryan
Bazquez stop for a photo in front of the giant Christ-
mas tree at the “Hermiston North Pole” after the city’s
tree-lighting ceremony.
Vader tree that actually
looked like Darth Vader,”
Marvin said.
For those who don’t get
a ticket to the dinner and
auction, Denice Derbyshire
of
Soroptomists
said
the trees will still be on
display at the Hermiston
Conference Center the next
day for families to enjoy.
The family day event will
also include Christmas
crafts, cookie decorating,
live entertainment, pictures
with Santa and other fami-
ly-friendly activities.
“There’s something for
everything,”
Derbyshire
said.
Other holiday activities
in the Hermiston area
include:
The city of Hermiston is
hosting a tree lighting cere-
mony on Dec. 7 at 6 p.m.
on Northeast Second Street
between Main Street and
Gladys Avenue. Activities
will include food vendors,
caroling by Hermiston
High School choirs and a
visit from Santa Claus. The
event will coincide with the
downtown district’s First
Thursday event, which
includes special deals and
treats at downtown busi-
nesses from 4:30-7 p.m. that
night.
Hermiston Parks and
Recreation director Larry
Fetter said the city is still
looking for the perfect tree,
which will be planted in the
middle of Second Street for
the Christmas season, and is
still trying to work out some
dates for live entertainment
and light shows on other
nights in December, weather
permitting.
“Every year we add
something new to the mix,”
he said.
The city will also host
its annual Pancakes With
Santa event Saturday, Dec.
16 from 9:30-11 a.m. at
the Hermiston Conference
Center. Tickets are $8 per
child, $10 per adult or
$30 per family and must
be purchased ahead of
time from the parks and
recreation
department.
The experience includes a
digital photo with Santa and
holiday storytime.
Despite the passing
of founder Laurie Ball
Kiser and the demolition
of its former home at the
Hermiston Senior Center,
the Community Fellowship
Dinner on Christmas Day
will go on.
The free community meal
has moved to the Hermiston
High School commons, 600
South First St., with board
chair Gary Humphreys
helping lead the way. Food
will be served by volunteers
in the new space — which
includes more seating than
the old venue — from 11
a.m. to 2 p.m.
In Echo, the annual Toy
Run will bring motorcy-
clists to town in droves on
Dec. 2 to bring donations of
unwrapped toys from Echo
to Good Shepherd Medical
Center to be distributed to
children in extra need of
some cheer this year.
The ride will start at noon
from Echo’s Main Street,
and non-motorcyclists are
encouraged to drop off toys
before noon for the ride. For
more information contact Al
Sells, 541-571-1820.
36 SW Court Ave. Downtown Pendleton • 541-276-3617
Family Day features holiday
fun for the whole family.
Community Fellowship
Dinner
Community Tree Light-
ing Ceremony
•Thursday, Nov. 23 & Mon-
day, Dec. 25; 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
•Hermiston High School
main commons, 600 S. First
St.
www.facebook.com/com-
munityfellowshipdinnerhermis-
tonOR
Free. Holiday meals with
all the trimmings. Everyone is
welcome. For delivery service,
a ride or to volunteer, contact
cfdhermiston@gmail.com or
541-371-9772.
Light of the World
Journey to Bethlehem
•Friday, Dec. 1-Sunday,
Dec. 3; 5-9 p.m.
•Seventh-day
Adventist
Church,
Free. Features the sights,
smells and sounds of a bus-
tling village during Biblical
times — sharing the reason
behind the season. Outdoor
tours followed by refreshments
indoors.
Holiday Bazaar
•Saturday, Dec. 2; 9 a.m.-
3 p.m.
•The Arc, 215 W. Orchard
Ave.
Free admission. For ven-
dor space, call 541-314-0166.
Hermiston Festival of
Trees
•Saturday, Dec. 2; 6-9 p.m.,
gala event
•Sunday, Dec. 3; noon-4
p.m., family day
•Hermiston
Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway 395
www.facebook.com/Herm-
istonFestivalofTrees
$40/gala event, $5/sug-
gested Family Day donation.
The evening event includes
dinner, live/silent auction for
Christmas trees and other hol-
iday decor and gift baskets.
•Thursday, Dec. 7; 6-9 p.m.
•Festival Street, Downtown
Hermiston
www.www.hermiston.or.us
Free. Kick off the holiday
season with music, Santa
Claus, campfires and vendors
with food, hot chocolate and
holiday treats. Held in con-
junction with the downtown
district’s First Thursday event,
special deals available from
4:30-7 p.m.
•Saturday, Dec. 9; 7:30-
9:30 p.m.
•Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, 850 S.W.
11th St.
www.facebook.com/herm-
istoncommunitychristmascon-
cert
Free. Features the Hermis-
ton Community Choir singing
holiday favorites. Refresh-
ments served.
Hermiston Farmers
Christmas Market
•Friday, Dec. 15; 2-6 p.m.;
Saturday, Dec. 16; 8 a.m.-4
p.m.
•Hermiston
Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway 395
Free. Includes festivities,
crafts, food.
Pancakes with Santa
•Saturday, Dec. 16; 9:30-
11:30 a.m.
•Hermiston
Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway 395
www.www.hermiston.or.us
$10/ages 16+, $8/ages
2-15, $30/family of 4. Tickets
must be purchased by Dec.
13. In addition to a pancake
breakfast, visit and take pic-
tures with Santa and enjoy a
holiday story shared by Herm-
iston Public Library staff.
Best Wishes for the
Holidays and
Bright New Year!
125 S. Main St., Pendleton, OR 97801
(541) 276-9292 • penbkco@eonet.net
Merry Christmas
Full Service Custom Frame Shop & Gallery
Hermiston
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