Annual Christmas Stroll Friday begins holiday season

It’s time to get in the holiday spirit and celebrate winter with the annual Whitefish Christmas Stroll downtown on Friday, Dec. 6.

The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce hosts the event along with BNSF Railway from 5-9 p.m. It’s an evening of old-fashioned holiday fun and Christmas shopping, according to the chamber.

The evening includes street vendors and crafters, the Bar W wagon rides and Santa Claus, as well as the Winter Carnival float and royalty, and beautiful downtown storefronts all dressed in their holiday finest.

The Presbyterian Church’s Alpine Bell-Ringers will perform at 6 p.m., and the annual lighting of the Depot Park Christmas Trees accompanied by a bit of fire-dancing and the arrival of Santa Claus is set for 6-6:30 p.m. in front of the O’Shaughnessy Center.

Returning this year is the eighth Annual Christmas Stroll Shopping Spree with a chance to win hundreds of dollars in gift certificates, products and services simply by supporting Whitefish Chamber members on Dec. 6.

Last year’s winners walked away with more than $1,000 in prizes, and more than 50 local businesses have already donated prizes for this year’s grand prize drawings.

For every $20 spent with a Whitefish Chamber member on the day of the stroll, folks can get an entry into raffles that’ll be held that night for the “Twelve Baskets of Christmas.”

To enter, bring receipts for purchases to the chamber tent located near the corner of Central Avenue and Third Street by 8 p.m.

While strolling in search of that perfect Christmas present, there’s plenty of entertainment to enjoy, beginning with a little Christmas fiddle music at 5 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church.

And lighting up the night for the sixth straight year will be Whitefire, Whitefish’s fire-juggling/dancing troupe. Watch for their performance on Central Avenue in front of the O’Shaughnessy Center at 6 p.m., and again at about 7:15 p.m. in front of the Winter Carnival float.

Kids of all ages can get their pictures taken with Santa at the Stumptown marketplace on Spokane Avenue beginning at 6:30 p.m.; meanwhile the Winter Carnival royalty (and their subjects) will take center stage on-and-around the float throughout the evening.

For more information, call the Whitefish Chamber at 862-3501, or visit WhitefishChamber.org.