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Tahlequah boasts full slate of activities to ring in the season

By LAYCE GARDNER

TDP Special Writer

The upcoming holiday season will bring many fun activities to Tahlequah. Whether young, old, or young-at-heart, there are numerous festivities to fill up on Christmas spirit.

Jeremy Jones, branch manager of the Tahlequah Public Library, said the institution will ring in the holidays with several activities designed for kids and adults.

Fun fact: Oklahoma was the last U.S. state to make Christmas a legal holiday. But it is also true that Tahlequah has always been filled to the brim with Christmas spirit – as in holiday cheer, not eggnog.

On Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. there will be holiday crafts with Miss Pam. Registration is required.

Thursday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. will be the Color Me Stress-Free, the holiday edition.

Thursday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. will be Adventures in Drawing, Christmas themed. Registration is required.

Monday, Dec. 18, at 10:30 a.m., Book ‘n’ Brunch will reading and discussing the novel “Skipping Christmas” by John Grisham.

Amy Smith, event coordinator for Tahlequah Main Street Association, said they are seeking partners to help “deck the halls” in downtown Tahlequah. Or rather, they are decking the light poles. For a donation, locals can sponsor a light pole to be decorated with a personalized gift tag. In return,

they will receive a keepsake ornament.

Smith also said the Cookie Stroll on Main will be held Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For those who like cookies – and who doesn’t? – this is an event not to be missed. Participants can eat lunch at their favorite downtown restaurant and then drop by the Main Street Association office to pick up a box of gourmet cookies. While munching on cookies, they can take a walking tour of the decorated light poles, shops, murals, and museums.

According to Smith, boxes of cookies will go on sale Nov. 6.

The annual Christmas parade sponsored by the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce is the most anticipated event of the season.

Cami Highers, events specialist for the Chamber, said the event will begin with a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony at NSU, followed by festooned floats from members of the community. The parade will be at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1. The parade route will start at NSU’s University Center and follow Muskogee Avenue south ending at Chickasaw Street.

“This year we will have a couple of new events,” Highers said. “Tour Tahlequah will be offering carriage rides around downtown Dec. 1 and 2. There will also be a market set up in a parking lot downtown selling Christmas items. We are very excited about these new additions.”

Rumor has it that Santa Claus may even make an appearance at the parade.

The Thompson House will hold its annual Victorian Christmas again this year. The Thompson House, built in 1882, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located at 300 S. College Ave.

Beth Herrington, local historian,

Fun fact: Some families hide a pickle on their Christmas tree. The pickle must be found before any presents can be opened.

will be involved.

“We will be having tours the first weekend in December. Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. We ask for donations at the door, but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds,” she said. “On sale around the house will be wreaths, ornaments, and handmade Christmas decorations.”

They will also be selling T-shirts.

“On the front of the shirt is a picture of the Thompson House. There will also be other vendors, selling jewelry, cosmetics, beautiful dishes, handcrafted items, live poinsettias, you name it,” Herrington said.

For those who still have a sweet

Kambree Hutton visited Santa Claus during a past The Cookie Stroll on Main.

Fun fact: The word “merry” in Merry Christmas used to not be acceptable because being “merry” meant to be slightly intoxicated.

tooth after the cookie stroll, the Thompson House kitchen will have plenty of desserts: cakes, pies, cookies, and homemade pepper jelly. Whether you likes pickles or not, there is one fact that is widely known: Tahlequah celebrates Christmas the whole month long! There are plenty of activities planned to keep locals and their guests entertained and full of spirit during the holidays.

Family. Friends. Community.

Mark Hodson, Agent

914 SMuskogee Ave

Tahlequah, OK74464

Bus: 918-456-8881

mark@markhodson.org

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The Grinch rides a float from the Foothills Chapter of the Downed Bikers Association at the 2022 Hulbert Christmas Parade.

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Holiday events galore in Muskogee County

By CATHY SPAULDING cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com

Beloved traditions blend with new festivities in Muskogee County.

Shining above others is Muskogee’s Garden of Lights, a Green Country tradition for 32 years. It runs Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s at Honor Heights Park.

“We have lots of moms and dads in the community in which this has always been a part of their lives,” Rick Ewing, Muskogee assistant superintendent for parks, said. “It has become such a strong tradition that we have people who come from other cities for another reason. We find that

they either grew up here and it has become part of their personal holiday tradition, or somebody brought them and they came one time and just fell in love with it, and they come back.”

The spectacle begins atop Agency Hill, with a flickering, zooming, zig-zagging light tunnel. Wind down Agency Hill’s path and the color, animation, and reflection spreads like a dazzling quilt below.

North of Honor Heights, the Castle of Muskogee celebrates the Yuletide spirit with The Castle Christmas, Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve. It features a drive-thru of light displays and holiday inflatables. Upon arrival in “Castleton,” visitors

Cathy Spaulding | Muskogee Phoenix

Fort Gibson High School Band adds sparkle to the 2022 Fort Gibson Christmas Parade.

are welcomed with a train ride or hayride. Youngsters can ride ponies or a camel.

Inside the castle’s Great Hall, visitors can enjoy holiday or decoration shopping. Santa Claus will pay a visit each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening. Rudolph’s Cafe offers light meals, snacks, cocoa, cappuccino, wine, beer, even the honey beverage mead.

Three Rivers Museum and The Roxy Theatre invite youngsters to the annual Polar Express Pajama Party, Nov. 24-25 and Dec. 6-7.

“Everybody enjoys being a child,” Museum Operations Manager Angie Rush said. “By participating in this event, they get to be a child for one evening and they love it. It puts them in the holiday spirit.”

Tickets are $15 each and are now available at www.ticketstorm.com/ event/polarexpresspajamapartynov24th/theroxytheater/muskogee/28244/.

Children arrive at the Roxy on their chosen night.

“At the window, they get their golden ticket, then watch ‘The Polar Express’ movie,” Rush said. “During the movie Santa’s elves serve everyone in the theater one hot cocoa, one popcorn, and one chocolate chip cookie. They get their cocoa in a souvenir cup.”

Children then ride to the North Pole at Three Rivers Museum to visit Santa, get photos taken, and a gift. This is the seventh year for the Polar Express party. Rush said 200 to 400 children come each year.

“The families love it because it’s good, clean family fun and the children love it because they get a gift,” Rush said. “We encourage them to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite blankie or Teddy bear.”

Okie Winterfest, Nov. 24-26 at Muskogee Civic Center, is a new way to bring family and friends together for Thanksgiving, organizer Tobi

Lights surround an Honor Heights Park pond and the Papilion entrance during Muskogee’s Garden of Lights festival.

Ledbetter said.

“Okie Winterfest is an opportunity for the community to get together for fun-filled activities, delicious treats, and fun,” Ledbetter said.

The event will feature times to meet the Grinch, plus enjoy a Kids Zone, food trucks, and vendors. The event also will feature a Superheroes Breakfast and a Princess Brunch, each for $15.

Depot Green buzzes with activity even before lights go on for Muskogee’s Christmas tree lighting on Nov. 30 in Depot Green.

Children and parents wave as the P & R train chugs along sidewalks and into Elgin Street. Lines form for free hot cocoa. Scenes of snowmen and gingerbread men with cutout faces invite visitors to add some personality of their own.

Downtown Muskogee gets colorful with its Dec. 11 Christmas Parade, “Candy Cane Christmas.”

Courtney Graham of Main Street Muskogee called the parade a premier holiday event.

“During the holiday season, a touch of Christmas cheer that the whole community can experience is brought to the downtown for one evening,” she said. “See the streets lined with crowds to watch the beautiful floats, dance groups, marching bands, and more!”

Fort Gibson also gets into the holiday spirit. People can spend a “Night at the North Pole,” Dec. 1 in downtown Fort Gibson.

“All our local stores downtown will have an activity for the kids to do,” Fort Gibson Chamber of Commerce Director Amber Hunt said.

Activities could include making ornaments or cards and writing letters to Santa. She said Santa could even pay a visit that night, Hunt said.

The Fort Gibson Christmas parade, Dec. 8, features lighted floats, flashy cars and jeeps and holiday tunes played by the Fort Gibson High School Band.

Dazzling Christmas trees on the broad lawn are part of the Garden of Lights at Muskogee’s Honor Heights Park.

Claremore captures holiday spirit from times past to present

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The holidays in Claremore always have a twinge of nostalgia.

Whether watching silent movies at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum or strolling along the streets of Historic Downtown during Dickens on the Boulevard, the spirit of the past is always present.

This year, even the Christmas Parade will celebrate the towns status as a crossroads for trains since before statehood. The parade theme will be “All Aboard the Claremore Express.”

The parade is scheduled Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m.

“Between Claremore’s relationship with the railroads and the beloved Christmas classic, ‘The Polar Express,’ this year’s theme seems like a natural fit,” Ashley May, Chamber communications director, said.

The Chamber will be giving away cash prizes for the following categories: Best Use of Decorated Lights, Best Use of Parade Theme, and the Christmas Spirit Award.

The parade route has already been chosen. It will start at the Claremore

Main Street Claremore | Courtesy photo

Community members become part of the evening during the street dance in Historic Downtown Claremore, Nov. 17-18.

Expo Center and travel eastbound on Will Rogers Boulevard, ending at the gazebo at Lynn Riggs Park. Churches, businesses, civic organizations, car clubs, and more are invited to participate.

“We couldn’t host this event without the generosity and support of our many sponsors,” Chamber President/ CEO Barby Myers said.

“The best part of the parade, for me, is seeing so many smiling faces in the crowd. It’s always fun to see downtown Claremore lined with people ready to celebrate the magic of the season,” Myers said.

But before Christmas is November and that means the Historic Downtown area of Claremore becomes a Victorian village festival for two days every year. This year the 28th Annual Dickens on the Boulevard celebration will be Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17-18.

Visitors will enjoy live stage enter-

tainment, food, pictures with Santa, reindeer games in the park, and a Victorian street dance each night along with historic reenactments with plenty of Western-themed action.

In the nearby Museum of History park, just across the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, visitors can take part in reindeer games, drink a cup of hot chocolate, and learn about the history of the community.

Stop by living history window displays as local merchants bring to life people, places, and things from the Victorian Era. Re-enactors will portray blacksmiths, spinners, wood carvers, and potters. Browse shops and boutiques filled with Christmas wares, décor, and gift ideas. Take a Christmas-themed wagon ride throughout town including a living nativity, a costume contest, and a Victorian food court with items like stew, beans, cornbread, and cobbler.

Lauren Garrison Photography | Claremore Main Street

Visitors are treated to reenactments of days gone by during the 28th Annual Dickens on the Boulevard Victorian festival in downtown Claremore, Nov. 17-18.

GCS Event Calendar

October

Hunter Raglane

October 3, Tuesday, The Branch 7PM, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

October 6, Friday, The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Tanglewood

October 6, Friday, The Branch 8PM, Tahlequah, OK

10th Annual Chuckwagon Dinner under the Stars

October 7, Saturday 6PM, Har-Ber Village, Grove, OK

Brett & Terri

October 7, Saturday, The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Relay for Life

October 7, Saturday, Norris Park, Tahlequah, OK

Okswagen

October 7, Saturday, Downtown Tahlequah, OK

Smith/Wicks

October 10, Tuesday 7PM, The Branch, Tahlequah

Jackie Darlene

October 13, Friday 8PM, The Branch, Tahlequah

Bobcat

October 16, Monday, Kroner & Baer, Tahlequah, OK

Bobcat

October 17, Tuesday, The Branch, Tahlequah, OK

Franke Lee

October 20, Friday 8PM, OCTOBERFEST, Tahlequah, OK

OKIE Jeep Jam

October 20-22, Friday-Sunday, Muskogee, OK

Barton & Sweeney

October 21, Saturday 8PM, OCTOBERFEST, Tahlequah, OK

Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd

October 21, Saturday, Eagle Bluff Resort, Tahlequah, OK

Zephram Foster

October 24, Tuesday 7PM.

OCTOBERBEST, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

October 26, Thursday, The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Brett & Terri

October 27, Friday, The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

Joe Baxter Trio

October 27, Friday 8pm,

OCTOBERFEST, Tahlequah, OK

Tangelwood

October 27, Friday 8PM, Kroner & Baer, Tahlequah, OK

Halloween Party with Sons of Turner Band

October 28, Saturday, The Deck, Tahlequah, OK

HA HA Halloween,

October 28, Saturday, Museum of History, Claremore, OK

Halloween Night at the Museum

October 31, Tuesday, Will Rogers Museum, Claremore, OK

November

Hunter Ragland

November 2, Tuesday 7PM, OCTOBERFEST, Tahlequah, OK

Will Rogers Parade

November 4, Saturday 3PM, Will Rogers Blvd, Claremore, OK

Will Rogers Birthday Party

November 4, Saturday 4PM, Will Rogers Museum, Claremore, OK

Native American Art Show

November 4, Saturday, Claremore

Museum of History, Claremore, OK

Holiday Open House

November 6, Monday, 6PM,

Downtown, Claremore, OK

Ladies Night Out

November 16, Thursday 5PM, Downtown Tahlequah, OK

Dickens on the Boulevard

November 17-18, Thursday and Friday, Will Rogers Blvd, Claremore. OK

4th Annual North Pole Reindeer Games

November 17-18, Thursday and Friday, 6PM, Museum of History, Claremore, OK

December

Downtown Tree Lighting

December 1, Friday 5:30PM, Tahlequah, OK

Tahlequah Christmas Parade

December 1, Friday 6PM, Tahlequah, OK

Cookie Stroll on Main

December 2, Saturday 10AM-4PM, Tahlequah, OK

Claremore Christmas Parade

December 9, Saturday, 6PM, Claremore Expo, Claremore, OK

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Christmas Sale

$1 tickets for chances to win multiple prizes

Handmade arts and crafts, textiles, quilts,