Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 30, 2016 7A
Santa Claus is coming to town
Whether by train or by fire truck, the Jolly Old Elf arrives to kick off Christmas in Polk County
By Emily Mentzer and
Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS
Twice the Christmas trees,
twice the cocoa, twice the
cookies and twice the Santa
magic will be on display at
Winterfest in Dallas on Fri-
day.
Winterfest officially kicks
off at 5 p.m. Friday, with re-
tail and food vendors, cook-
ies, cocoa and Christmas
music.
Black Rock BBQ will be
setting up in downtown
early. Others, including a
kettle corn vendor and a few
Polk County Bounty regu-
lars, will join the popular
food truck just in time for
the countdown to Santa’s ar-
rival.
Last year, Winterfest ran
out of cookies and hot
chocolate, said Chelsea Met-
calfe, the event’s coordina-
tor. She didn’t want that to
happen for a second time,
so she reached out to cookie
dough provider Papa Mur-
phy’s Pizza and cocoa sup-
plier Dallas Church. They
both generously doubled
what they offered last year,
so there will be enough to
serve 1,000 people.
When Santa arrives a little
after 6 p.m., he will have
double the tree lighting re-
sponsibilities, in addition to
hearing the wishes of the
good little boys and girls.
St. Nick still will be light-
ing the sequoia on the Polk
County Courthouse lawn,
but also another Christmas
tree placed near the side-
walk on the square. Metcalfe
said the sequoia will soon be
too big for the Dallas Fire
Department’s ladder truck
to string the lights.
The city wanted to intro-
duce Winterfest attendees to
the idea of lighting a new tree.
“That was the city manag-
er (Ron Foggin) and the
mayor (Brian Dalton),” Met-
calfe said. “They worked
with Big Foot Christmas
Trees. … Santa will magical-
ly light two trees.”
While Santa arriving via
fire department escort is the
most exciting part of the
evening, Metcalfe said the
best part of Winterfest is the
time Santa spends with chil-
dren after the tree lighting.
“They say they know this
is the real Santa because
they have seen him their en-
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer file
Santa Claus cruises into Independence Saturday on the Santa Train via Portland & Western Railroad. The seventh-
annual event will provide a toy for each child who comes to see Jolly St. Nick.
tire lives,” Metcalfe said.
FALLS CITY
Now in its fifth year, the
Christmas tree lighting in
Falls City has become a holi-
day tradition.
The gathering will begin
at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday in
the parking lot next to
Mountain Gospel Fellow-
ship Church, 257 N. Main St.
Coordinator Jenn Drill
said the lighting will be at 7
p.m. and will be a festive,
but simple occasion. Hot
chocolate, cider and
desserts will be served, and
Christmas music will pro-
vide holiday spirit.
“It’s a time to bring the
community together and
celebrate the season and our
community,” Drill said.
INDEPENDENCE
Cynthia Jaramillo didn’t
grow up with much. In fact,
she grew up poor, one of
three children of a divorcee
mother who didn’t have
much.
“It motivates me to pass it
on,” she said.
And pass it on she does.
Last year, Jaramillo, organiz-
er of the sixth annual Santa
Train, was able to brighten
the Christmases of 1,134
kids who came to Independ-
ence Cinema to welcome
the big man via Portland &
Western Railroad.
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer file
Santa arrives in Dallas Friday evening for Winterfest at the Polk County Courthouse.
This year, Chase Bar and
Grill is sponsoring the event,
with candy provided by FCR
and candy canes from the
Arena Sports Bar and Grill.
“The Independence
Women’s Club stepped up
and is doing hot dogs this
year,” Jaramillo said. ”Then we
have the Grove Community
Church doing the hot cocoa.”
Toys for Tots provides the
toys handed out to each
child who comes out from 1
to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The par t that keeps
Jaramillo going each year is
knowing she can give pres-
ents to children who other-
wise wouldn’t have any.
“I know there’s so much
poverty in the world,” she
said. “I try to keep this going
so that way, those kids who
don’t have a gift under the
tree — or even a tree — I try
to give them a gift for Christ-
mas. I can’t see them not
having one.”
Jaramillo encourages
everyone to come down to
the cinema and volunteer or
just watch the train bring
Santa to town.
“Even if they don’t want to
volunteer, come down and
watch the kids, and watch
how excited they are about
the train,” she said.
Later on Saturday, the
14th annual Parade of Lights
will make its way from the
First Baptist Church parking
lot, where entries will begin
staging at 4:15 p.m. The pa-
rade officially starts its trek
to Main Street at 5 p.m.
Nancy Lodge, chair-
woman of the Parade of
Lights committee, said she
expects there will be more
entries this year.
“It looks like we might be
getting some horses in the
parade,” she noted.
Afterward, all are wel-
come to an open house at
Sojourn International on
Main Street for Lodge’s fa-
mous hot cider, hot choco-
late, and cookies — made by
volunteers.
“This is something we
want to give to the commu-
nity,” Lodge said. “It’s all
free. We want all people
from all walks of life to have
the opportunity to come to-
gether and celebrate.”
At the open house, parade
participants will be awarded
for President’s Choice, Best
Use of Lights, Best Commer-
c i a l E n t r y, a n d B e s t
Group/Organization Entry.
MONMOUTH
The festivities to ring in
the season start in Mon-
mouth at 6 p.m. on Friday —
all centered around the
campus of Western Oregon
University.
At 6, the holiday parade
marches through downtown
Monmouth and onto cam-
pus. The parade includes
lighted entries from campus
groups, as well as Polk
County Fire District No. 1.
Santa Claus rides a brightly
lit fire engine to the Werner
University Center, where he
will be available for photos
with Mrs. Claus throughout
the evening.
The entire campus will go
dark before the 129-year-old
sequoia tree will come alive
with lights in dramatic fash-
ion, and then people can
make their way to the Wern-
er Center or down to the
Historic Gentle House.
The Werner Center will be
bustling with activities, from
music to crafts for the whole
family.
Perhaps the most fun is
the annual cookie bakeoff,
where students, staff and
faculty submit their best
cookies, and the public gets
to be the judge. Be fore-
warned: The cookies go fast.
If you want to taste and
judge them, make your way
to the judging table quickly
following the tree lighting or
you’ll be left with crumbs.
Before you leave campus,
make your way to the Gentle
House for the annual Wine,
Warmth and Music, starting
at 7 p.m.
For more information:
wou.edu.