CRESWELL – The Friendly City will shine especially bright this weekend as the 22nd annual Creswell Winter Lights Festival will take place on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., hosted by the Creswell Chamber of Commerce. The festival will feature live music, a holiday vendor market, Santa Claus, a light parade, and hot cocoa and cider throughout downtown.
Musical and keynote highlights include:
- Creswell Brass, Jazz, and Pep Bands perform from 2 to 2:55 p.m. at the Creswell Library Tent.
- Cascade Kids take the stage at the Creswell Community Center at 3 p.m.
- Creswell Middle School Choir sings from 3 to 3:45 p.m. at the Fire Bay.
- Creswell Community Singers perform after the Middle School Choir at the Fire Bay.
- Guest speakers, including Mayor Nick Smith and City Manager Vincent Martorello, speak from 4:15 to 4:30 p.m. at the Fire Bay.
- An all-day Holiday Market will be held at the Community Center, with vendors offering handmade jewelry, locally made foods, and crafts, along with some vendors in the City parking lot behind the Chamber office. Featured vendors include Eugene Kettle Corn, S.L. Sheldon Wood Turning, Three Pines, and local artisans.
- Creswell High School’s Bulldog Market will also take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., along with a vintage craft sale at the Creswell Grange from noon to 6 p.m. Food and beverage options will be available downtown, including local food trucks and complimentary coffee, cocoa, and cookies at Eyeland Family Optical.
- Santa Claus will visit the Community Center for photos and wishes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Mrs. Claus will host stories and crafts for kids at the library from 1-3 p.m.
- The light parade will begin around 5 p.m., featuring around 15 floats on Oregon Avenue.
“Both of the Creswell parades are awesome community events,” said Nick Caum, Creswell Library director. “It is so fun to see all the smiling faces we know from the library.”
Caum noted that this year, the library will be open until 7 p.m. on the day of the festivities. “We hope to be a place where people can come in and get warm, connect with friends and family, find a craft to work on, and maybe grab a cookie or two,” he said. The Creswell Historical Museum will also be open for visitors before and after the parade.
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