Local holiday shopping abounds
It’s time to get into the Christmas spirit, and what better way than to shop locally and take advantage of neighborhood holiday happenings.
What better way to start than by cutting your own Christmas tree? Tree sales start Friday at Camden Ranch Christmas Trees. Their holiday shop is a delightful experience and they offer hay rides, cider and coffee on weekends. The ranch is at 1521 Wilms Road, off Camden Road just north of downtown Elk. (509) 292-2543.
On U.S. Highway 2, as you enter Newport, Wash., the Pend Oreille Historical Society Museum Shop will be open for holiday shopping on Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and those same hours Dec. 20–23. They carry numerous books, including “The Elk-Camden We Once Knew,” as well as many other gift items. (509) 447-2770.
• On Saturday, “Hometown Christmas” in Newport features shops and businesses from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with holiday specials, treats and drinks for shoppers and a chance to win a downtown shopping spree. Pictures with Santa are available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A tree lighting is at 3 p.m. by the museum. At 7 p.m. at the Pend Oreille Playhouse on Union Street, singer-songwriter-guitarist Ezekiel Kelly will appear in concert before leaving on his European tour. Special guest Allen James Teague will join Kelly; tickets are $12.
• Northwoods Performing Arts holiday chorale, “The Thrill of Hope,” opens Dec. 3 (Gala night), and performances continue Dec. 4, 7, 9, 10 and 11. NPA shows are at the Circle Moon Theater on Highway 211 at Sacheen Lake. Show tickets are $12 or dinner and show for $20. (209) 448-1294.
• Dec. 4 will be Community Christmas Day in Elk. The Kids Craft Party and Cupcake Decorating, sponsored by Elks Park and Music Associations, are upstairs at the Elk Veterans of Foreign Wars from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Downstairs, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Christmas Bazaar and Bake Sale takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Local artisans and businesses will offer unique gifts, homemade soups will be available, and the Elk Music Association’s 2010 Elk Tracks Christmas CD – “EMA Picks” (from the past five years) will go on sale. For booth rentals, call (509) 292-8250. At dusk, the Bonfire and Tree Lighting will take place at Elk Community Park. Santa will arrive with his bag of goodies, and the park will offer hot drinks.
Look for the Chattaroy Craft Fair at Chattaroy Elementary School on North Yale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 4.
In Newport on Dec. 4, the Create Arts Center will open its Holiday Artists Shop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the next two Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The “Twelve Days of Christmas” classes will go on through December. On the Web, visit www.create@conceptcable.com for more information.
That same day in Newport, there will be an arts and crafts sale at Stratton Elementary School. An evening concert, “Christmas from the Heart” with Dorene Greg and Kathy Sullivan, will take place at the Pend Oreille Playhouse at 7. It is a fundraiser for the Priest River Animal Rescue, and tickets are $15 or $13 for children and seniors. There will be a $2 discount with a pet food donation. For information, call (509) 671-3389 or visit the Web at www.pendoreilleplayers.org.
Happy Holidays, shop locally and enjoy!