Evening of light
Parade, art walk draw people downtown
Nicole Tavenner
Kids in sunglasses and Santa hats wave from a float in the Polson Parade of Lights on Dec. 5.
Nicole Tavenner
Santa Claus stands in the middle of a crowd of children beneath the town Christmas tree.
Nicole Tavenner
The Flathead Flute Choir entertains in the Sandpiper Gallery.
Nicole Tavenner
The Polson Christmas tree glows in the dark.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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The weather cooperated for this year’s Parade of Lights with temperatures in the high 30s and perfect snowball snow for kids after freezing rain earlier on Dec. 5.
Led in by the Polson Cub Scouts, the parade was short, sweet and brightly lit as the Skyline 4 x 4 Club brought a contingent of entries following a pair of festive inflatable reindeer hooked to the front of a Jeep.
As befits a Montana town, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and their elf came to town in a shiny red pickup. The Claus’s were much awaited by the younger set.
“I want to see Santa,” was the common answer from kids who came to the Parade of Lights. For a more in-depth conversation, Santa and the Mrs. will be at the Cove on Dec. 12 and 19 from 5 to 7 p.m., and photos will be available.
With bagpipe music, cookies, bags of candy and candy canes from the elves, parade goers gathered for the lighting of the Polson Christmas tree next to the Showboat Cinema.
The annual Polson Art Walk was also in progress, with artists and musicians in many of the downtown businesses. Shoppers strolled from store to store, looking at window displays. Perfectly Imperfect had a live window display — a cowboy and a saloon girl playing cards on a barrel top.
Watercolor artist Sue Arneson painted at the Terrace, and guitarist Tim ???? was at Dawn’s Flowers.
Music from the Flathead Flute Choir poured out of the Sandpiper Gallery. Inside artist Lynn Johnson started work on a female cardinal. Johnson creates felted wool birds — owls, cardinals, meadowlarks, ducks, loons and chickadees.
Near the back of the gallery, weaver Mary Sale worked her loom and chatted with visitors.
Refreshments were served in the back room where local artist Julie Christopher worked with kids as they painted cookies for Christmas tree ornaments.
The McElwee boys chose their favorite sports teams with Teague decorating his star with the Oregon Ducks logo and big brother Owen going with a Denver Broncos theme.
“We had a great night,” Heather Holmes, Sandpiper Gallery member, said.
Guessing about 100 people visited the gallery, Holmes said in years past the crowd has come before the Parade of Lights and no one after. This year a steady stream of folks drifted in to check out the gallery’s offerings and refreshments.
The City of Polson’s portable bonfire got its share of attention, too, as its flames were snapping and reaching towards the sky in front of Vinny’s on Third Avenue W.
Mrs. Wonderful’s Marmalade Café held its grand opening after the Parade of Lights, adding to a downtown ablaze with lights and bustling with people shopping, visiting and eating — a good way to welcome the holiday season.
