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New holiday events to roll out in Tahlequah for Christmas season
By SKYLER HAMMONS Tahlequah Daily Press
Residents in Tahlequah and Cherokee County are set to experience more holly-jolly events this holiday season than ever before.
Tourism Marketing Manager Alex McBride said the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce is getting in on the festivities with the Classic Christmas Market, Dec. 7 and 21 at Norris Park. The markets will feature a walk-through a Christmas light display, a live Nativity, carriage rides, and Christmas market vendors.
“I am most looking forward to the carriage rides,” McBride said. “It is a
magical feeling riding through downtown Tahlequah at Christmastime in a horse-drawn carriage, listening to Christmas music and looking at lights.”
McBride said both days of the market will be good for kids, as they will get to meet Santa, see a live Nativity scene, walk through the lights display, and see Tahlequah in a new way though the carriage rides.
“Both of these events are great for families; however, attending the Dec. 7 Christmas market would make for a great weekend when paired with [Tahlequah Main Street Association’s] Light Up Tahlequah, Dec. 5; [Tahlequah Area Chamber of
Ashten Pederson, left, and Grace Mitchell make reindeer poop at A Bloom Flowers and Gifts during a past Cookie Stroll.
Commerce’s] Christmas Parade, Dec. 6; and [TMSA’s] Cookie Stroll earlier in the day Dec. 7,” McBride said.
The Tahlequah Main Street Association is also producing some holiday cheer for the area.
TMSA Director Jamie Hale said Ladies Night Out, Nov. 21, marks the 2024 holiday season kickoff, and it’s her favorite event.
“It is a lively event that kicks off the holiday shopping season,” Hale said. “We love to see Main Street bustling with holiday shoppers. It checks all the boxes, from boosting downtown business, fostering community spirit and fun.”
Hale said a city of Tahlequah holiday event set to make its debut is the Christmas Tree Stroll, Nov. 29 in Norris Park. Brian Speake, Tahlequah Parks and Recreation director, said a Santa’s Workshop will be created for the event, along with a possible tree-decorating contest.
For many events, TMSA will collaborate with various organizations in the
area, including the city of Tahlequah, TACC, Tour Tahlequah, and Northeastern State University. Speake said that prior to this year, various organizations just did their own thing during the holidays, but they are now trying to work together more.
“That’s part of the reason all the entities are collaborating,” Speake said. “We are wanting to make it a destination. Instead of our citizens driving to another town to see Christmas lights, they can just drive into our town and hopefully bring tourism.”
Hale said she hopes the Christmas events this year foster togetherness and a sense of community among locals and visitors.
“By participating in these festive activities, we aim to strengthen connections within the community, promote local businesses and create lasting holiday memories,” Hale said. “The goal is to celebrate the holiday season in a way that brings joy and warmth to everyone who attends.”
Mr. and Mrs. Claus are expected to make an appearance at several Christmas events this year in Tahlequah.
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Visions of sugar plums dance on a float during Fort Gibson’s Christmas Parade.
Muskogee County comes alive with lights for holiday season
By CATHY SPAULDING Muskogee Phoenix
Christmas becomes a time of lights, toys and gifts around Muskogee this year.
Muskogee’s 33rd Annual Garden of Lights runs Thanksgiving night to New Year’s night at Honor Heights Park. Times are 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
“We have a significant part of Muskogee now who don’t remember anything before Garden of Lights,” said Rick Ewing, with Muskogee Parks and Recreation. “At this point, we have adults now who were in their youth when we started this thing, and now these people have children. People who were in their mid-teens,
maybe some of them even have grandchildren now.”
Visitors pass through a flickering light tunnel, then down Agency Hill, where the more than 1.2 million lights dazzle below. Displays include giant multicolored cone trees and amusing animated displays of deer, sledders and geese. Admission is $10 per vehicle.
Muskogee’s Depot Green brightens up Dec. 5 with a lights-on ceremony. The green will be festooned with lights, a giant Christmas tree and even bigger ornaments where people can get their pictures made.
The P&R Railroad train will chug along Depot Green sidewalks. Guests can ride the train Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings through December.
All of downtown will glow with lights. Main Street Muskogee will light the historic Court Street viaduct, as well as business rooflines along Main Street and Broadway and 20 trees along Broadway. Four 10-foot guitars will be spaced throughout downtown.
“We are thrilled to bring the Downtown Christmas Lighting Program to life once again,” Main Street Muskogee Executive Director Courtney Graham said in a media release. “This year’s additions, including the lighted guitars, are a testament to our commitment to making the holiday season truly special for everyone in our community.”
Muskogee’s Christmas Parade, “Christmas in Toyland,” will be 7 p.m. Dec. 16 along Broadway. The parade’s two grand marshals will be Fostering Hope, which seeks to help children in foster care, and Murrow Indian Children’s Home. Visitors can donate toys for
children in need at the parade and market.
“This year’s going to be sort of a giving back to the community,” Graham said. “We hope to have toys and other items for children this year, which we will collect at Broadway Green, or from any parade entries we have. They can leave them at the check-in tent.”
Fort Gibson’s kicks off its holiday season even before Thanksgiving with Night at the North Pole, Nov. 25. Fort Gibson Chamber of Commerce Director Amber Hunt said the event will feature lighting of Centennial Park and gazebo, plus visits with Santa.
“We have our local businesses have activities for the kids,” Hunt said. “We had a really great turnout for Night at the North Pole last year, had music going, Fort Gibson’s Christmas parade will be Dec. 6.
The P & R Railroad train chugs through Muskogee’s Depot Green during December.
Diane Dickinson, owner of Shepherd’s Cross outside Claremore, walks through the farm’s museum Wednesday, Aug. 28. While the holiday season brings a live Nativity scene, winter games and carol sing-alongs to the farm, Dickinson said other features, like the museum and the silo, will remain open throughout the winter.
Feed a reindeer, see a live nativity this holiday season
By EMMET JAMIESON
Claremore Progress
Rogers County offers several ways for visitors to capture the holiday spirit this winter.
Downtown Claremore hosts two events that run from 6-9 p.m. Nov. 2223: the North Pole Reindeer Games and Dickens on the Boulevard. Both are free to attend.
Steve Robinson, chair of the Claremore Museum of History board, said that like the name suggests, visitors to the Reindeer Games can feed and take pictures with Rosie, a real reindeer harnessed to a sleigh.
Inside the history museum at 121
N. Weenonah Ave., Robinson said, kids can enjoy games like “pin the tail on the reindeer,” watch the 1964 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and get their faces painted. He said attendees can also enjoy caroling at the gazebo outside the museum.
“More people come to the museum those two days to see Rosie than any other event we do,” Robinson said.
Dickens on the Boulevard, inspired by Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” brings people dressed in Victorian-era styles to downtown Claremore. Some of the people are participating in the costume contest, and others are reenacting Victorian blacksmithers, weavers or potters for the living history
window displays.
Acting Committee Chair Brenda Reno said the event also hosts a big street dance and live Christmas music. Guests can get their pictures taken with Santa at 320 on Main, 320 W. Will Rogers Blvd. They can also join a tour of four historic downtown buildings typically closed to the public.
Reno said the event has been bringing a holiday atmosphere to Claremore for more than 50 years.
“We work really hard at making the whole setting just really pretty and festive and fun for everyone to come out for the event,” Reno said.
Attendees can also enjoy Christmas lights at Claremore Lake, Nov. 20 to Jan. 4, from dusk to 10 p.m.
The light display will begin at the Blue Starr Drive entrance, and it is free to the public.
Claremore’s Christmas Parade of Lights will take place Dec. 7, 6-9 p.m.
People can register for the event on the Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce’s website. Floats and commercial vehicles are $50, and individual cars and motorcycles are $25.
Shepherd’s Cross, a farm at 16792
E. 450 Road, will host a number of Christmas events, Dec. 12-14 and 19-21, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Owner Diane Dickinson said the main event for Christmas at the Farm is the live Nativity scene. Every half hour, guests can enter the Nativity room and spend about 15 minutes watching the actors. Dickinson encourages everyone to meditate on the true meaning of Christmas.
“Sometimes people will say, ‘Well, where’s the performance?’” Dickinson said. “And I say, ‘It’s in your heart.’”
While people wait to experience the Nativity, they can join a sing-along and watch a fiber arts demonstration.
Outside, Dickinson said, attendees can play a variety of winter games or take a $6.50 wagon ride to see the sheep in the pasture.
She said the museum, farmers market hub and other regular Shepherd’s Cross offerings remain open.
“All of this is a part of what brings people here for Christmas at the Farm, because it’s more than just a trip someplace for 10 minutes,” Dickinson said. “They can easily spend a couple of hours.”
An actor pedals a penny farthing bicycle down Will Rogers Boulevard at the 2019 Dickens on the Boulevard event in Claremore. The event, inspired by the Victorian period depicted in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” has been bringing the holiday spirit to downtown Claremore for more than 50 years.
Adair County’s seasonal events take combined approach
By ELLEN WORKMAN Stilwell Democrat
Adair County is staging a unique combined event this year called HalloThanksMas, according to Chris Davenport.
Davenport, who is coordinating the City of Stilwell event Oct. 19, probably didn’t realize Westville is having its own version, known as Fall Fest, the same day.
As part Adair County’s month-long celebration, Stilwell will be holding a free-permit Citywide Yard Sale Oct. 5. The Stilwell HalloThanksMas will be held downtown, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. two weekends later, and will showcase small business goods and services, as
well as arts and crafts, and of course, traditional yummy fall food.
Westville’s annual Fall Fest will be at the Westville Park, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will feature arts, crafts, and more food.
And for those who want to get into the fall-to-Christmas holiday sprit between the yard sale and the festivals, Mid County Community Organization on Highway 59 in Baron is holding its own Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 12, with arts, crafts, and – yes –even more food!
Later in the year, the Town of Westville has arts and crafts to coincide with the Westville Christmas parade, held the first Saturday in December.
The Farmhouse at Addielee sells locally grown beef by the pound. Photo is from Mid County’s festival last year.
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