Palmer is festival town at Colony Christmas

There are over 100 official and non-official activities this weekend in P-Town. There is no way for you to do them all, so you must be selective. Regardless of where you go in our little town, it will be fun and full of holiday spirit. Every corner and every event is a photo op in Palmer. Here are a bunch of favorites, but please check the actual Schedule of Events for all the details.

Charming—The Festival of Trees at the Palmer Depot is remarkable. The Reindeer train is at the Pioneer Home. Gage Tree Service has lights up all over town, but the new lit tree at the Veterans and Pioneer home is very welcome. The Community Christmas tree at the Library is also glowing. The Palmer Museum Showcase Garden has an outstanding lighting display.

Unusual—Palmer Santa-con is Saturday night after the parade. This is such a hoot. But there are some rules. You can’t get drunk and unruly. Santas come in from the hills and join together in a jolly pub-crawl Saturday evening. Also the Dinosaur Caroling Team will be ambling around Palmer starting at 5 at the train depot. The Bike Squad will be lighting up the streets. The whale float from the Alaska Job Corps should be a fantastic entry in the parade.

Traditional—Saturday, the Colony House Museum Holiday Open House, is an annual event you won’t want to miss. The original Colony House (across from the Colony Inn) opens its’ doors to Christmas caroling and piano playing. There are delicious refreshments, vintage decorations, and a bake sale. This is an authentic event—not replicated anywhere. The Gingerbread House Display at the Veterans and Pioneer Home is simply wonderful.

Serene—Friday night at 7pm is Candlelight Yoga at Midnight Sun Yoga studio. The Sunday Nativity Display is a remarkable collection of sacred objects, accented by music, at the LDS church on Bogard Extension.

Explosive—The fireworks will start 15 minutes after the Saturday 5pm parade is complete.

Joyful—The Alaska Nutcracker is performed at the Glenn Massey College theater Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. The most marvelous Parade of Lights begins shortly after 5pm on Saturday. This follows the celebratory “The Lighting of the Water Tower,” which happens precisely at 5pm on Saturday afternoon.

Musical—Caroling happens around Palmer all day on Saturday. Saturday is the Mat Su Orchestra performance at the United Protestant Church at 330 pm. Saturday evening is the Cantora Arctica Concert at St. Johns at 7pm. Sunday afternoon is Alaska Celtic Pipes and Drums at the Library at 2pm. The Mat Su Community Chorus plays at 4pm at St John’s, also on Sunday. Sunday night is more music by the 9th Army Band, at the Glenn Massey Theater.

Rocking—Nervis Rex is at Klondikes at 9 pm and Boogie Shoes is downtown rocking in the Friday Fling tent with a Hohohodown—beginning at 6pm. The Roland Roberts Trio will be playing at Back Country Bike & Ski for the Mat Su Valley Mountain Bikers Association Annual fundraiser, immediately after the parade.

Challenging—The Running of the Beers is on Saturday, starting at the Bleeding Heart Brewery on Outer Springer Loop. This is a run, walk, or bike event and it ends up at the Alaska Picker. The Cribbage Tournament is Sunday at 11am at Klondike Mike’s. Smoosh Races are Saturday afternoon from 2-4.

Delicious—The Lions Club Pancake Breakfast is a favorite at the Palmer Moose Lodge on Saturday morning. The Christmas Cookie Contest is on Sunday at 2pm at the Colony Inn. A free chili feed is Saturday Afternoon at the Alaska Bible College. Food trucks will be lined up on S. Valley Way all day Saturday.

Artistic—203 Kombuchery is having a craft table to make decorations. MTA events tent will have make and take ornaments. Big Cabbage Radio will have an Open Station Tour and Warm-Up all afternoon at the station on Main Street next to the Bookstore. Origami Christmas Cranes will be made at the Library on Saturday from 12-3.

Animal Joy— Reindeers will be beside the Palmer Museum. Shelter animals, for adoption, will be at the Borough gym. Horses will be providing carriage rides at the large pavilion. And ponies will also be there for Christmas pony rides. You will see no cats at this festival because cats don’t like events like this. Mushing puppies will be at the State Farm warming station, in front of the Palmer Depot.

Shopping and Santa—There will be fun at all the shops, along with a variety of craft fairs all over town. Santa will also be showing up periodically throughout the weekend.

Donations and Gifts—While you’re out celebrating don’t forget donations to folks less fortunate than yourselves. There is a Food drive with boxes at Pizzaria Delphi and the Moosehead Saloon. There is a Toy drive at the Palmer Museum. There is a Blood drive, across from Peak Boutique on Main Street. There is a Wishing Well at the Palmer Showcase Garden. There is a “Light Up a Life” Hospice Tree at the Palmer Depot. And of course there are our Red Kettle Bell Ringers at nearly every major storefront. This is the season for sharing the joy….and Palmer does this very well.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops and the Palmer museum. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222