The Santa Claus Parade, Christmas fireworks, Breakfast with Santa as well as the Yuletide Festival and Market will be in the town in just a couple of weeks.
This year’s events will be sure to bring the whole community together.
All these events are scheduled to take place Nov. 27 and 28.
The Santa Claus Parade will grace the town’s streets on the evening of the 27th at 7 p.m., followed by the Christmas Fireworks at around 8:15 p.m.
The next morning will be a pancake Breakfast with Santa at the Multi-Campus Gym. There will be two breakfast times 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and then at 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The community is strongly encouraged to purchased advanced tickets for this event at the Recreation and Culture Offices.
Santa Claus will also be there providing the perfect photo opportunity.
The Yuletide Festival begins Friday at 4 p.m. and runs till 10 p.m. It then continues on to Saturday, opening the doors at 10 a.m. and then wrapping everything up at 4 p.m. The event will once again be held at the NexSource Centre.
There is still time for businesses and organizations to put in a float for the Santa Claus Parade said Michelle Morrison, special events and program coordinator for the recreation and culture department for the Town of Sylvan Lake.
Morrison said these events are fun and usually well attended.
“It brings the community together,” Morrison said. “They are fun events and they get everyone into the Christmas spirit and celebrating our community.”
The community will also see a bigger Yuletide Festival this year said committee member Kelly Edgecombe.
The gingerbread contest has been slightly altered this year to make it more fun for families and anyone wanting to make a gingerbread house.
This year there will be pre-built kits with some candy and icing but people building the houses are welcome to bring their own house decor as well.
Every team building the houses will have a surprised package as well with at least four items to incorporate in their house display. All these items will be a surprise.
The gingerbread house is free to participate in and there are even cash prizes for first, second and third place.
The festival will end with the jazz explosion which Edgecombe said is always a highlight to the festival.
This is a jazz group that does swing and plays some Christmas music.
“It usually gets people up dancing in the isles,” Edgecombe said.
Entering this festival is free of charge, with no obligation to spend money.
There is something for everyone at this festival as well including shopping, different eatable treats and of course live entertainment on the stage.
All the money raised from the festival this year will again go to the Sylvan Lake and Area Urgent Care facility fund.
Another big highlight this year is having trees in the community decorated by the Spray Park Committee, the Sylvan Lake and Area Urgent Care Committee and NexSource Power Inc.
The tree decorated by NexSource will be one where families involved in minor hockey will be donating gifts to the Christmas Bureau.
Edgecombe said it is expected that there will be an increase of 25% of needed gifts for families this year.
“Sylvan Lake minor hockey families are going to start bringing in donations whether it be games, toys, sport balls, or whatever,” Edgecombe said.
“They are challenging other organization to help out and drop off their items underneath the NexSource tree of giving.”
reporter@sylvanlakenews.com