ST. PAUL - A weekend of holiday cheer is just days away in St. Paul and will include festive lights, treats, and of course Santa Claus himself.
On Friday night, the Town of St. Paul, St. Paul Regional FCSS and Lakeland Family Resource Network will host the fifth annual Christmas Tree Lighting. At 7 p.m., the lights a the UFO landing pad, which also acts as the tourist information centre, will be turned on.
Treats will also be served thanks to the event's partner Tim Hortons. Timbits, hot chocolate, Santa and more will make for a fun family-friendly event.
On Saturday, St. Paul's annual Community Christmas will be back in action after a few years of scaled down events due to the pandemic.
One of the community's longest running holiday events will kick off the day at 10 a.m., as crafters and artisans sell their handmade goods at The Big Christmas Craft Sale at the St. Paul Rec. Centre. The day will run until 4:30 p.m.
Admission to the craft sale is free, however, food bank donations will be accepted.
A small business Christmas market is also set for Dec. 3 at the nearby St. Paul Curling Rink, running from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. And if you are still searching for that perfect Christmas gift, a home-based business market is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Landing Hotel & Conference Centre.
Fun for families
A few fun family-oriented events are also set to take place, including cardboard gingerbread house building at the St. Paul Municipal Library from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
If you're feeling like you would like to create a sweet treat, Portage College is hosting a Pop Tart house building event from 2 to 4 p.m., while supplies last.
A parade was set for Saturday night but has since been cancelled by the St. Paul & District Chamber of Commerce due to cold weather in the forecast.
"We cancelled the outdoor events due to the weather forecast - cold temperatures, wind chill and snow accumulation," confirmed Chamber of Commerce executive director Yvonne Weinmeier. An outdoor event was also set for the Lions Park around the same time Saturday evening.
More fun
The Nutcracker will also be performed on Saturday night at the All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Cultural Centre. See story above for more information on this year's production.
A Christmas cross country fun ski may also be offered at the St. Paul Golf Course, but is weather and snow dependant. The ski will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. and rentals are available.
