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Thursday, December 5, 2013
VOL. 19, NO. 18
Festivities abound at Greening Nathan Whalen Staff Reporter
The arterials of Coupeville will fill with festive-minded visitors eager to enjoy a holiday celebration Saturday. A full slate of events is on tap for the annual Greening of Coupeville, which takes place Dec. 7 throughout the historic town. The annual parade starts at 4 p.m. at the corner of Terry Road and South Main Street. The procession heads up Main Street toward downtown before turning on Front Street and finishing on Alexander Street. Frosty the Snowman will participate in the parade that includes floats from various community groups. Coupeville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lynda Eccles noted the Coupeville Festival Association will have a float celebrating its 50th anniversary, which takes place next year. As per tradition, Santa riding his sleigh ends the procession. Following the parade, people will head to the Anchorage Inn and neighboring Cook’s Corner park for the tree lighting. Vern and Karl Olsen will lead the crowd in singing Christmas carols from the porch at the Anchorage Inn before the lighting at the small park located at the corner of North Main and Ninth streets. The shops in downtown Coupeville will be open later than usual and, weather permitting, the Oak Harbor Yacht Club’s lighted boat parade takes place that evening. Eccles said the best place to view the lighted boat parade is at the end of the pier at the Coupeville Wharf. The Greening of Coupeville caps a full day of events on Central Whidbey, celebrating the holiday season. The day starts with the Jingle Bell 5K run and walk starting 8 a.m. at Camp Casey. Several bazaars organized by nearby churches are also scheduled Saturday. Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, located at 207 N. Main St., has a bazaar that goes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Coupeville United Methodist Church’s holiday bazaar, which is located at 608 N. Main St., goes from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Whether it’s shopping, seeing Santa or looking for a healthy way to shed those holiday pounds, Coupeville has a little bit of something for everyone this Saturday.
Sweet Creations Justin Burnett photos
Above: Coupeville residents Maggie Garrett, 7, and Jones Walther, 7, enjoy themselves during the Gingerbread Workshop Saturday. Left: Coupeville resident Anika Rasmussen, 10, smiles with messy delight. Families gathered at Coupeville Rec Hall Saturday to take part in the first annual Gingerbread Workshop sponsored by the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association. Supplies were provided free of charge. Some of the entries built during the workshop were later taken to the Coupeville Library to enter into the Gingerbread Challenge, sponsored by The Whidbey Examiner and the library. The entry fee to enter the challenge is a suggested canned food donation to Gifts from the Heart food bank. Entry your gingerbread entry now until Friday, Dec. 20. Three prizes will be awarded for best youth, adult and people’s choice entries. Visit the library until Dec. 20 and vote for your favorite.