Wallace, Osburn ready to get into the holiday spirit

By CHANSE WATSON

Managing Editor

With Kellogg and Pinehurst wrapping up their holiday events, it’s now time for Wallace and Osburn to get into the spirit of the season.

Wallace will be kicking-off the third year of its annual Retro Christmas festival — formerly known as the Yuletide Festival — today and Saturday and will be continuing the fun into the following weekend as well.

Put on by the Wallace Chamber of Commerce and the Historic Wallace Marketing Group, the festival is once again packed with holiday events throughout the city.

Wallace Chamber of Commerce president and event organizer, Anita Price, explains that the idea for the Retro Christmas theme was initially conceived due mostly to the city’s long-standing tradition of setting up antique Christmas figures — also known as blow molds — around parts of town.

“We’ve done the blow molds forever, that’s been a big deal,” she said. “But a couple years ago, I just thought, ‘why is it every year that we call it something different? It can just be the Retro Christmas because nobody else has this!’ I bet we could look everywhere and not find a whole town that was decorated in 250 blow molds.”

Many of the classic blow molds have been purchased over the years with grant funds from the Frank A. Morbeck Foundation.

This year, these blow molds can be seen lighting up the Wallace Courthouse, Samuels Park, the Wallace Chamber of Commerce Office, the Wallace library, the Beamis Hi-Co/Exxon and the Northern Pacific Railroad Depot Museum.

Speaking of the NPR Museum, much of the Retro Christmas fun will be taking place either inside or outside this historic building.

The NPR Museum will started the festival today by playing host to a local vendor craft fair from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The craft fair will also be held on Saturday, Dec. 13 and 14 at the same times.

Later in the day at 1 p.m., organizers will be hold a Charles Dickens story reading at the Stockbridge Museum.

The night will cap-off back at the NPR Museum with tree lighting, caroling, bell ringing, hayrides and a winter walk through town at 6 p.m.

Saturday’s Retro Christmas fun will start out with jolly ol’ St. Nicholas offering breakfast at 9 a.m. at the Eagles building on Cedar Street.

Following breakfast, contestants will seek the title of Mr. and Ms. Snowflake in the annual competition, also at the Eagles building. All contestants will receive stockings filled with presents from Santa afterward.

At 11:30 a.m., Santa will enlist the help of the firefighters from Shoshone County Fire District No. 1 and appear at the NPR Museum atop a firetruck. Santa will be available to take pictures with kids until 2 p.m.

Not long after Santa arrives, a variety of different activities and classes will be offered in downtown Wallace from noon to 3 p.m.

All with a Christmas theme; the activities include cookie and face decorating at Fonks, ornament and bow making at the Mining Museum, hair braiding with ribbons at Q’s, letters to Santa at Johnson’s Gems, gift wrapping at the Fox & Hare Mountain Wear, gift bag decorating at Idaho Silver, reindeer candy cane crafting at the Silver Moose, adult and children’s crafts at Oliver’s Mercantile, cookie plate making for Santa at Past-Present Shoppe, crafts at Eureka Sally’s, and music at SOL & SERRE.

Saturday night will end with free hayrides from 5 to 7 p.m. departing from the depot that will take passengers through the neighborhood.

The holiday fun in Wallace will carry over to the following weekend as well.

On Friday, Dec. 13, the Stockbridge Museum will host a Charles Dickens story reading at 1 p.m.

Later that afternoon, a lighted parade will make its way through downtown Wallace starting at 6 p.m. featuring several different floats.

After the parade, free hayrides will once again be available at the NPR Museum, but this time from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The final day of the event on Dec. 14 is reserved for a local favorite — the PAW parade.

Dog owners are encouraged to dress up their furry friends in Christmas attire and bring them to the Brooks Hotel parking lot at 11 a.m. From there, owners can walk their dogs in a parade with the other participants.

Santa will once again be available for pictures from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the depot and the previous Saturday events will also continue downtown at the same time.

The Retro Christmas Festival will wrap up with a Wallace holiday poker run from 6 to 9 p.m. starting at City Limits Brew Pub and free hayrides from 5 to 7 p.m.

For more information on the Wallace retro Christmas event, visit the event page on Facebook or call the Wallace Chamber of Commerce at 208-753-7151.

- • •

While Wallace holds their events down the road, the city of Osburn will also be throwing their own Christmas festivities.

The fun begins today with a tree lighting, town prayer and social time held at 6 p.m. at Mom’s Vintage Eatery.

On Saturday, things will kick off with a craft fair from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the VFW Hall.

“Hopefully everyone will find that special something,” said Candy Gilmore, Mom’s Vintage Eatery owner and event organizer. “Tanya Ireland will be chairing this event. We are splitting the proceeds with the VFW for use of the hall. We appreciate them so very much.”

If you wanted to catch him before he goes to Wallace, Santa will be at Mom’s for breakfast at 8 a.m.

Later that night, the Christmas parade at Silver Hills Elementary will head out from there at 6 p.m. This year’s parade is being organized by Stephanie Hanks.

Prizes will be given out for the Gingerbread Houses and parade recognitions after the parade.

The following weekend, the Christmas cheer continues on in Osburn with Turkey Bowling at the east park on Dec. 14.

“We are asking that a food donation of the equivalent of $5 to participate,” Gilmore said. “Food will go to the Osburn Food Bank.”

On Dec. 20 and 21, the Winter Express Bus will be running for those who like to sing Christmas songs and see the lights around town.

To end the festival, Mom’s Vintage Eatery will host a community donation dinner at noon that Saturday, with proceeds going to the 2020 Christmas Festival.

“We will start fundraising in January this year,” Gilmore said. “We would love to have more Committee Members! We are planning a summer festival that should be a hoot! Come check it out! We need people to help and have fun. The January meeting will be announced on a further date.”

For more information about the Osburn Christmas Festival, call Candy Gilmore at 208-556-1668.