Allied Arts will host its Giant Craft Sale on Friday and Saturday.
A fun-filled weekend is planned as Fort Macleod officially kicks off the Christmas season.
Two days of activities are planned along with the Santa Claus Parade.
Friday, Nov. 29
The Fort Macleod Chamber of Commerce is pulling out all stops for the Christmas Festival on Friday, Nov. 29, with help from other local organizations.
The Fort Macleod Lions Club will host a Christmas market from 12 noon to 8 p.m. Friday at Holy Cross Parish Hall.
At 5:30 p.m. the Town of Fort Macleod will serve a free hamburger or hot dog to the first 500 people who turn out at the Devonian Walkway.
From 5:30-8:30 p.m., Friday Lisa Lennon will be doing face-painting at the library, sponsored by Grassroots Realty.
The library will also offer free hot chocolate, coffee, popcorn and crafts, with young entrepreneurs selling their goods.
Fort Macleod Health Care Auxiliary Association will be on hand at the library promoting their Tree of Hope fund-raiser.
Larson Custom Feeders is sponsoring free skating at the arena beginning at 5:45 p.m. Friday.
At 6 p.m. Fort Macleod Allied Arts opens its annual Christmas Craft Sale, which continues to 9 p.m. at the community hall.
Members of the Fort Macleod Fire Department will supervise bonfires on Main Street in barrels provided by Bill Jenkins on Friday night. Firewood is donated by Dandy Man Tree Service.
ATB Financial will provide hot chocolate and cookies on Main Street on Friday night.
Doran Degenstein will give horse-drawn sleigh rides on Main Street on Friday night, sponsored by Fort Macleod Agencies and Avail LLP.
There will be a petting zoo on Main Street on Friday, thanks to sponsorship from Structural Truss, Edgewater Companion Animal Clinic, Blackwood Coffee Co., Twisted Hummingbird, Horizon Herbs and Westco Construction.
Citizen of the Year David Hughes and Junior Citizen of the Year Cordelia Yip will light the community Christmas tree at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the west end of Main Street.
The Chamber of Commerce has lined up a Moonlight Madness shopping event for Friday night.
Participating businesses are Alberta Hardware and Firearms, Fort Pharmacy, Antiques and Whatever, Digbee’s Diner, Greenery On Main, Next Home and Garden, Homestead Bakeshop, The Vault, Rafter 99, Twisted Hummingbird, Horizon Herbs, Blackwood Coffee Co., RX Drug Mart, Red Apple, The Collective, Macleod Living, Stronghold Brewery, Wall 2 Wall Home Furnishings, and the Fort Macleod Library.
Saturday, Nov. 30
The F.P. Walshe Class of 2025 will make sure everyone starts Saturday with a full stomach.
The grads will serve a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. in the parking lot next to The Macleod Gazette at the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue.
The Fort Macleod Lions Club will reopen their Christmas Market on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Holy Cross Parish Hall, continuing until 3 p.m.
Fort Macleod Allied Arts also resumes its Christmas Craft Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the community hall.
Lisa Lennon will offer face-painting at Fort Macleod Library from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 12:15-1:15 p.m. Saturday.
The Santa Claus Parade gets under way at 11 a.m. Saturday with the theme “A Snow Globe Christmas.”
Fort Macleod Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) will co-ordinate Photos With Santa at the Empress Theatre following the parade.
At 2 p.m., the Empress Theatre will screen a free showing of the movie Elf, sponsored by FCSS, the Empress Theatre Society and the Fort Macleod Legion.
Also at 2 p.m. the annual Rotary Club auction gets under way at the Southern Alberta Livestock Exchange (SALE). All money raised goes to local projects.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will host the annual family dance from 6-8 p.m. Saturday.
The Legion will also host a free dance from 8 p.m. to midnight featuring Steel Cut Band. Donations of non-perishable food items for the food bank will be accepted.
