Communities across the North Olympic Peninsula will begin to celebrate the winter holiday season the day after Thanksgiving.
Port Angeles’ inaugural season of the Ice Village will open Friday and remain open though Jan. 6. Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, with approximately 30-minute closures about every 90 minutes to resurface the ice.
Tickets for the 3,200-square-foot seasonal ice-skating rink project at 121 W. Front St., in downtown Port Angeles, will be $15 for adults. A $10 daylong ice skating pass will be available to veterans, skaters 4 to 12 years old and seniors 62 and older.
On Saturday, community trees will be lighted after Santa arrives in Port Angeles and Sequim.
Port Angeles
In Port Angeles, the tree lighting celebration will start at 3:30 p.m. at the Conrad Dyar Memorial Fountain at Laurel and First streets.
Hot cocoa and cookies, music and stories will lead up to the arrival of Santa bearing goodie bags for children. His arrival is sponsored by Clallam Transit. Hamilton School Choir and soloists with the Peninsula College Vocal Jazz Ensemble will sing. Alice Susong of the Story People of Clallam County will tell stories.
Santa will arrive from the west at about 4:55 p.m. and the tree lighting ceremony will begin at 5 p.m.
Refreshments will be sponsored by Necessities and Temptations gift shop and Brown’s Outdoor.
The Port Angeles Downtown Association provides the 60,000 lights for the tree and the 30,000 lights for the downtown area. Kiwanis members have decorated the trees and poles downtown and they will maintain the lights through February for the downtown association.
Sequim
Sequim’s Hometown Holidays activities will begin at 1 p.m. at the community tree at Centennial Place at the corner of Sequim Avenue and West Washington Street.
Music, special events for children, and giveaways are planned. Warm drinks will be available for purchase.
Santa will arrive via horse-drawn carriage, historic tractor or antique fire truck at 2 p.m.
The tree lighting ceremony will be at 4:45 p.m. A contest will award a gift certificate to the person who comes closest to guessing the number of lights on the tree.
Saturday is also Small Business Saturday. Merchants in both Sequim and Port Angeles will offer specials to entice shoppers.
Lighting of the lodge
Also on Saturday will be the lighting of Lake Crescent Lodge, off U.S. Highway 101 west of Port Angeles in Olympic National Park.
Carolers, festive drinks and holiday treats, as well as a visit form Santa are planned form 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., with the lighting of the lodge set for dusk.
Those who attend are urged to bring toys for Toys for Tots or food donations for the Port Angeles Food Bank.
The Port Townsend holiday tree lighting and Santa visit will be Dec. 1.
Also on Dec. 1 will be the Forks Twinkle Light Parade, followed by a community tree lighting.
