Colony Christmas kicks off today

PALMER — Clear your calendar for this weekend and prepare for the Christmas bonanza in downtown Palmer.

Tonight through Sunday, the Palmer Chamber of Commerce is presenting the 24th annual Colony Christmas celebration. The event will feature a parade, the Holiday Ball, a bonfire, Christmas tree decoration and lighting, and a fireworks display.

“It is fun for everyone from kids to adults; we try to include everyone. And all the events are within a couple of blocks of each other,” said Jillyan Webb, executive director of the chamber.

The Christmas celebration begins this morning at 10 a.m. with the Santa Cop Toy Drop Off and ends Sunday evening with the Christmas Nativity Scene at 7 p.m.

Webb said this year there will be a new event at the celebration. The Colony Christmas karaoke contest for children and adults has been added to the lineup. While the music is not limited to Christmas tunes, they are preferred.

For children, the celebration will feature, “Games, reindeer petting and photos, photos with Santa Claus, and Christmas stories being read at Fireside Books,” she said.

All the events during the celebration are free, except for the Holiday Ball. The Holiday Ball, held tonight from 7:30 p.m. to midnight at Raven Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds, features singing and dancing.

Schedule

The events for the weekend go as follows:

Today

10 a.m.–5 p.m. Santa Cop Toy Drop Off, Palmer Police Department

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Gingerbread Houses, Pioneer Home 250 E. Firewood Ave.

10 a.m.-6 p.m. “Light for Life” Hospice Tree, Koslosky Center

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Arts & Craft Fair, Palmer Depot

Noon-4 p.m. Snow Machine and Sleigh Rides, Festival Area

5:30 p.m. Ladies C League Hockey Tournament, Palmer Ice Arena

7 p.m. Bonfire, Palmer Depot

7:30 p.m. Holiday Ball, Raven Hall, Alaska State Fairgrounds

Saturday

9 a.m. –11 a.m. Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, 209 Evergreen Ave.

10 a.m.–5 p.m. Santa Cop Toy Drop Off, Palmer Police Department

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Cookie Contest, Palmer Downtown Plaza

11 a.m.-7 p.m. Nativity Displays, LDS Church

Noon-4 p.m. Reindeer Petting, Coffee & Cream

Noon-4 p.m. Photos with Santa, Stangebird Consulting

1-2 p.m. Tuba Christmas, Salvation Army

3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Guitar Christmas, Salvation Army

1 p.m.-5 p.m. Children and Adults Karaoke, Downtown Palmer Plaza

1 p.m.-4 p.m. Wagon Rides, The Red Beet, 320 Dahlia St.

3 p.m.-5 p.m. Ice Sculptures, Dahlia Street Market

5 p.m. Parade of Lights, Downtown Palmer

6:30 p.m. Fireworks, Library Parking Lot

Sunday

8 a.m.-10 a.m. Ladies C League Hockey Tournament, Palmer Ice Arena

9 a.m. Colony Triathlon, Peak Fitness

Noon-8 p.m. Pioneer Hockey Steak Feed, Moose Lodge 1136 S. Cobb St.

2 p.m. Flat Baroque Musical Performance, Depot

2-7 p.m. Nativity Display, LDS Church