Holiday events ramp up

The holiday deadline has arrived: now we’ve all finished giving thanks, thoughts turn to the next big date on the calendar. Sundance will once again be celebrating in style this Christmas with a number of events to help you get in the festive mood.

Start your Christmas this weekend with the traditional Lighted Parade, this year to the theme of “Old Time Family Christmas”. At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 6, line up along Main Street to watch the lighted vehicles travel past, illuminating the streets as they travel.

If you are taking part in the parade, line-up will begin at 4:30 p.m. on East Main at 8th Street. Entries this year will be judged in three categories: business and organization, most unique and best use of theme.

Immediately after the parade head to the courthouse basement for the popular Festival of Wreaths silent auction, sponsored by Crook County Library. Decorated wreaths and trees will be set up before 2 p.m. and visitors will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite to win the people’s choice award.

All trees and wreaths will then be entered into the silent auction to raise funds for the Crook County Library Foundation. Meanwhile, enjoy the annual chili feed, also in the courthouse basement, to benefit the Crook County EMTs.

The much-anticipated Holiday Hoopla Raffle will of course be taking place this Christmas, though with one important difference: every ticket will be pulled on a single evening.

“The board wanted to try something different to see if people would be more interested if they only had to commit to one night,” says Jamie Jessen, Sundance Chamber of Commerce. Whether this will become the standard format for the raffle depends on the reaction of revelers: “We will see how it goes this year,” Jessen says.

The drawing will take place at the Longhorn Saloon and Grill on December 13 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased prior to the event at Sundance State Bank and Off the Grid Hardware and Sports.

The first name drawn will receive $100 and the three grand prizes are $100, $300 and $1000. All prizes will be awarded in Sundance Bucks, redeemable at most local businesses.

Meanwhile, ten large prize baskets will also be awarded. All prizes require your presence to win except the three grand prizes; winners of those will receive half value if not present at the event.

Small Business Saturday and the Ladies’ Night Block Party have been rescheduled to December 7 due to the bad weather last weekend. The former will take place throughout the day and includes the $250 Punch Card Raffle and the latter will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the downtown area.