Local communities schedule Christmas festivities
Nov. 18—BLUEFIELD — The holiday season is approaching which means several events are planned in surrounding areas to celebrate Christmas time.
As West Virginia's designated Christmas City, Bluefield has an array of things going on this year.
The Holiday of Lights 5K Challenge will kick the events off on Saturday, November 19, with registration beginning at 3:30 p.m. and the run starting at 5 p.m.
Also on Saturday, November 19 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 20 at 3 p.m., Planet Xtreme Teen Center will be performing their production of "A Christmas Story" at the Granada Theater.
The annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be on November 21 at 6 p.m. on Princeton Avenue in Bluefield, and the event will feature Santa Claus and the Grinch.
The lighting will be followed by a showing of the movie "ELF" at the Grenada beginning at 7 p.m.
The ferris wheel in the Raleigh Street parking lot will also open on November 21, and it will operate through December 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The new ice skating rink will also open November 21 through January 8 in the Big Whiskey parking lot from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Holiday of Lights officially open on November 24, Thanksgiving night, in Bluefield City Park at 6 p.m., and to celebrate the opening the Bluefield Police Department will be there with a K-9 and the Bluefield Fire Department will have Sparky there to welcome spectators.
The Christmas Parade will be on December 3 starting at 6 p.m., and the route will begin at South Street and end at the Christmas tree on Princeton Avenue.
On December 4 the West Virginia Jazz Orchestra will perform a free concert at the Granada at 5 p.m.
Bluefield will host First Responder Night on December 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the former Landmark Antique Mall.
December 5 through 10, the Christmas Market, also at the former Landmark Antique Mall, will be open 6 p.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Thursday and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
A dog costume contest will be held December 7 at 7 p.m. at the Raleigh Street parking lot, while an ugly sweater contest will be December 8 at 7 p.m. in the same location.
On December 10, the Granada will host Chosen Road's "Hometown Christmas" with the show beginning at 7 p.m. and the doors opening at 6 p.m.
December 11 and 20 and January 1 will have trolley, hayrides, and walk throughs at the Bluefield City Park from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On December 31, live music with Envision will be at the Granada from 8:45 p.m. to 11:45 p.m., then the night will conclude with the Lemon Drop at midnight on Commerce Street.
In Princeton, the "Make It Sparkle, Princeton" competition is underway having started on November 15 and will continue until December 15 at 12 p.m.
The competition is for any business with a brick and mortar, and the idea is to have the best holiday decorated store front.
The winner of this will be announced on December 22 at 1 p.m.
Princeton will also host letter writing to Santa at 4:30 p.m. and Singing in the Square with Elvis on December 1 at 6 p.m. at Dick Copland Square, and the Characters of Christmas Parade will be December 2 at 7 p.m. on Mercer Street.
The letter writing will include stations set up for kids 12 and under to write personalized letters to be put into a "special mailbox," and they will be read by Santa during the Christmas Parade.
Also in Princeton, the annual Veterans Day Parade, which was postponed on Nov. 11 because of inclement weather, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19. The parade route will be along Mercer Street.
Tony Whitlow, director of the Those Who Served War Museum in the Municipal Building, said the museum will be open after the parade from noon to 4 p.m.
In Welch, there will be several events starting with the Christmas Bazaar at the Jack Caffrey Arts and Culture Center on December 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., then the CoalTown Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting will follow with the parade starting at 7 p.m. and the tree lighting immediately after.
December 6 is National Coal Miner Day, so to celebrate a coal miner's dinner of beans, cornbread, and bologna sandwiches will be served on December 6 at 6:30 at the Jack Caffrey Arts and Culture Center followed by a storyteller at 7 p.m.
Also, from December 5 through 9, you can display a picture of your favorite coal miner at the center.
Welch Christmas Decorating Contest will also be underway until December 21.
Decorate, take a photo, post it to the City of Welch Facebook page where the winner will be chosen by whoever gets the most likes.
On December 4, 10, and 11 a Polar Express Trolley ride and movie will be going on while the Trolley of Lights will be December 8 and 15, but keep an eye on the City of Welch Facebook for more information.
The finale of events will be the Coal Drop at midnight on December 31.
In Bramwell, the annual Christmas Parade will be held on December 3 at 10 a.m. in the downtown area.
Across the state line in Virginia, Bluefield will be kicking off events on November 19 with the annual community gathering followed by the Christmas tree lighting.
The event will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Jack Asbury Square and will include ice skating, carnival games, a snow globe photo booth, baked goods, and hot chocolate and apple cider. The tree lighting will be at 6 p.m. that night.
The Bluefield, Va Christmas Parade that is themed "Reindeer Games" will be December 8 at 6:30 p.m. starting at the Old Kroger Shopping Center.
In Tazewell, events start Thanksgiving day with the Turkey Trot 5K starting on Main Street at 9 a.m.
The grand opening of the ice rink will be on November 26 at 4 p.m. at Lincolnshire Park followed by the annual Christmas tree lighting at 5 p.m.
The event will include concessions, music, and fires along with the ice skating.
The hours for the rink following the grand opening will be Fridays 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
On December 3 in Tazewell the Christmas Market on Main will kick off at 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. where attendees can meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus and shop with local vendors on Main Street, following that the "Let it Glow, Let it Glow, Let it Glow" Christmas parade also on Main Street will start at 5 p.m.
The Tazewell County Christmas event will be December 11 at 2 p.m. at the Tazewell County Fairgrounds, which is a community service toy drive and fundraiser. Find more information about it on Facebook where an event post can be found under the name of the event.
In Bland County, the Christmas at The Market at the Bland Lutheran Fellowship Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 3 will kick events off, also that day, the Christmas Parade will be at noon on Main Street followed by a Library Christmas party.
Pictures with Santa will be happening at the library as well.
In Pocahontas, the Christmas tree lighting will be December 3 at 6 p.m. downtown.
There will also be a Breakfast with Santa event on December 10 at 10 a.m. at Pocahontas First United Methodist Church.
Their "Winter Wonderland" themed Christmas parade will be December 17 at 5 p.m.
Narrows, Virginia will also be hosting their annual A Very Narrows Christmas on December 11 from 2 p.m to 8 p.m. where there will be holiday vendors, a Christmas parade in downtown at 5:30 p.m. with Christmas Fun at the Market following the parade.
The fun will include pictures with Santa, DIY reindeer food, and free hot chocolate.
Narrows also announced that they will have an ice skating rink this year, so keep watch on the Narrows Parks and Rec Facebook page for more information on that.
— Contact Kassidy Brown at kbrown@bdtonline.com.
