Take care driving about town Saturday — Santa is coming to town and he is coming with a parade, lots and lots family fun, and opportunities for Christmas shopping, shopping, shopping all over the city.
Everything is turned upside down from normal for this weekend’s annual kick off to the holiday shopping season.
Instead of the Santa Parade and Winter Light Up events taking place Friday evening, as they have in the past, these events will take place during the day on Saturday.
The Santa Parade will start from the mustering station at Seventh Avenue beside Lake City Ford at 11:30 a.m. and proceed to Spirit Square where there will be activities all day long culminating in the Christmas tree lighting at 4:30 p.m.
Santa and Mrs. Claus and the elves will be there to visit with children. There will be horse-drawn wagon rides courtesy of Cariboo Carriage, live entertainment with bands, carollers and more, games, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and burgers.
And its all free!
HUB Barton Insurance is joining the celebration with their annual Barton Family Christmas Gathering from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. to help make the festivities bigger and better than ever, says Sheila Mortensen, Williams Lake Central Business Improvement Area president in her address welcoming the community to the event.
Barton urges parents to bring their cameras and take their children’s pictures as they whisper their Christmas wishes in Santa’s ear.
The Lions Club will be serving burgers again this year and the Boys and Girls Club will be serving up hot chocolate to warm hands and bodies.
Any children or adults who would like to join in the fun of dressing up to dance down the street with Santa or help out with events in Spirit Square are asked to call Rita Law at 250-398-5717.
Costumes from angels to reindeer are available for participants.
Friday evening will become Moon Light Magic and Black Friday.
Why black is anyone’s guess when the shopping bargains promise to be positively shimmering.
But expect bargains with participating businesses in downtown Williams Lake, Boitanio Mall and Canadian Tire on Friday evening for late night shopping until 11 p.m. and again on Saturday.
It will be a busy, busy, busy weekend for intrepid shoppers with several other major craft sales also taking place this week and weekend as well.
The Medieval Market runs Saturday and Sunday at Columneetza Secondary, the Cataline Christmas Craft Sale runs Saturday and Sunday at Cataline elementary school, the Made in the Cariboo Craft Sale runs Saturday at the Tourism Discovery Centre and the Ten Thousand Villages Craft Sale runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Cariboo Bethel Church.
Watch for advertisements for all of these events and more in the Tribune and Tribune Weekend editions.
The Tribune’s Shop to Win event is also returning with three great prizes: $1,000 grand prize, $500 second prize and $250 third prize.
The fourth annual Stuffie and Toy Hunt also kicks off Friday evening and runs until Saturday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m.
The goal is to look thoroughly through local stores for the hiding stuffed animals who are waiting to be donated at the Christmas Wish Breakfast on Dec. 19 for the Child Development Centre.
Stuffy clue lists are available at the WLCBIA office at the corner of Oliver Street and Third Avenue.
Once you have completed your list of found stuffies and checked it twice return it to the WLCBIA office for a chance to win a downtown shopping spree in values of $100, $150 or $300.