The Port Angeles Downtown Association and the Festival of Trees Committee are joining forces to present entertainment on a large scale over the Thanksgiving Day Weekend.
“For those people who want to stay in town and have their photo taken with Santa, enjoy many types of entertainment for adults and kids, and shop, Port Angeles will be the place to be that weekend,” said Young Johnson, president of the Downtown Association.
The combined effort will begin Friday morning, Nov. 25, with the annual Teddy Bear Tea presented by First Federal, which will have two sittings as part of Festival of Trees at 10 a.m. and noon for $10 per person.
This popular event kicks off the weekend and invites children and parents to enjoy live entertainment, holiday refreshments and visits from Santa.
The Festival of Trees Gala, $100 per person, presented by Sequim Health and Rehabilitation, which will feature the auctioning of over 50 Christmas trees, will be held at 5:30 p.m. that day, followed by the first ever “After Hours” Festival of Trees event. It will be sponsored by the Downtown Association.
Gala attendees and the public will be invited to enjoy music of all types at several downtown restaurants and bars, starting at 9:30 p.m. They will include Bada Northwest, Bar Hop Brewing, Bar N9NE, Bella Italia, H20 Restaurant, The Metta Room, Next Door Gastropub, Strait Slice Pizza, Station 51 and Wine on the Waterfront.
“There are many people who come home for the holiday weekend — this will be a great time for many of them to get together downtown and visit with friends that they haven’t seen in a while,” said foundation Executive Director Bruce Skinner.
The Senior Breakfast, $12 per person, presented by The Lodge at Sherwood Village, Fifth Avenue Retirement and Sherwood Assisted Living will be at 8:30 a.m. as part of the festival. That will be followed by Family Days, which will be held at 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27. All of these events will be at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
Family Days also will feature photos with Santa, entertainment and the opportunity to view the decorated trees and wreaths. Admission is $5 each or free for children under 8 years old.
“Every age group comes to Family Days,” said Cookie Kalfur, who is chairman of the event. “It has plenty of activities for kids and families.”
On Saturday immediately following Family Days, the Downtown Association will present several events in downtown Port Angeles.
The Third Annual Snowball Drop will feature ping pong balls labeled with merchant prizes and discounts from all over Port Angeles falling from the sky for a fun-filled scramble. It will be held in the sunken parking lot on Front Street between Laurel and Oak streets next door to Station 51 with the assistance of Port Angeles Fire Department volunteers.
The Hometown Holiday Main Show will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Laurel Street, featuring local talent Amanda Bacon, followed by the arrival of Santa and the magical lighting of the Downtown Tree at 5 p.m.
“People are amazed by the resurgence of downtown Port Angeles,” said Skinner. This will be the perfect time for people to witness the transformation of downtown first hand.”
Tickets for all Festival of Trees events are available at the Olympic Medical Center Foundation office at 1015 Georgiana St. in Port Angeles.
For more information call 417-7144 or email jeremy@omhf.org.
