SISTERS ARTS | CULTURE | EVENTS
A MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE TOWN OF SISTERS
WINTER 2014
Celebrate the season in Sisters!
INSIDE:
Festive Holidays SISTERS CHRISTMAS EVENTS
Endorsed by
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE HOODOO SKI AREA HAPPENINGS SISTERS HIGH DESERT CHORALE Advertising Supplement to The Bulletin
Don’t miss out on all of the
‘Tis the
holiday celebrations
Season
in Sisters Country this year!
to be in Sisters
by Kelsi Shelton, for The Bulletin Special Projects
Y
ou know that feeling of looking back at the hectic holiday season and wondering in bewilderment, “How is it already over?” With all of the festive community events in Sisters, ‘tis the time to start gearing up for and marking your calendar to make the most of this merry and oh-so-fleeting holiday season. Like years past, Sisters channels its small town charm and tight knit community to produce a festive line up of activities to get you in the spirit all season long. Below are all the details you need to make the 2014 holiday season your most joyful, mindful season yet. To kick off the Christmas season Sisters style, be sure to attend the bigger-than-ever-before Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 28. Sponsored by Hoodoo Ski Area, this Sisters mainstay event is at a new location at Fir Street Park, which will now include a stage, more space for the public to enjoy, a bigger tree and a fire pit to stay warm. The Sisters High Desert Chorale, led by Irene Liden, will fill the air with Christmas carols (don’t forget to sing along!), and the Three Sisters Lions Club will provide hot drinks and popcorn for purchase. As in the past, there 2 | Sisters Magazine | November 2014
will be a community food bank at the lighting, supporting the local food bank. People are encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable food items to donate. In conjunction with the tree lighting ceremony will be the second annual Sisters Christmas Cookie Crawl from 4-7 p.m. Downtown businesses will keep their doors open late to offer an array of festive cookies and special offers during this family friendly event. “Last year was a huge success so we wanted to bring it back,” said Jeri Buckmann, visitor center manager for the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce. About 30 businesses participated in 2013, and at least that many are anticipated this year. (If you happen to hit each business and eat 30 cookies, we won’t say anything.) There is no better way — or better excuse — to sample some of the best Christmas cookies around and support local businesses. Maps to guide you on the cookie crawl (as well as descriptions of the types of cookies) will be available at the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce office as well as various Sisters business locations. For more information, contact Buckmann at jeri@sisterscountry.com or 541-549-0251.
Don’t put your hat and boots away yet. The holiday festivities are just beginning! Now that you’ve warmed up with the tree lighting ceremony and cookie crawl, the following day brings the Sisters Annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, Nov. 29. Beginning at 2 p.m. on Hood Avenue, this year’s theme is “Home Town Christmas,” inspired by Sisters’ recent downtown reconstruction project. “We are so proud of our town and are grateful to call this community our home,” said Buckmann. The approximately 45 minutes of fun will include pets, floats, community entries and, of course, Santa Claus. Directly after the parade, Santa will be at the chamber on 291 E. Main Ave. for one-on-one visits with the youngins. Harold the Hodag, Hoodoo’s mascot, will be there as well, passing out Autobahn tube park tickets to the first 50 people. (Hint, hint, get there as quick as you can!) Bright Spot Coffee and the Chamber will provide complimentary hot drinks and cookies. Keeping in the vein of sweet confections, the annual Gingerbread House Trail benefiting Sisters Habitat for Humanity is going on its eighth year. Businesses create their own unique gingerbread houses to showcase from
Nov. 28 thru Jan. 5, and you, the judge, cast your vote on your favorite one(s). “We invite all businesses in Sisters Country to participate,” said Marie Clausen, volunteer and family services manager for Sisters Habitat for Humanity. “It is a really fun event.” The creation with the most votes wins the People’s Choice Award, and all proceeds from the event benefit the building program of Sisters Habitat for Humanity. A map will be available on Monday, Nov. 24 at the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as Sisters Habitat ReStore and participating businesses, making it easy to navigate your way to all the fun. Before diving in to all of these sugar-induced Christmas activities, there’s no better way to gear up than with a relaxing, hearty Thanksgiving meal that — here’s the best part — you didn’t have to spend all day in the kitchen to prepare! Sit back and enjoy with the people you are most thankful for, and leave cooking an elaborate spread to the experts. Black Butte Ranch is hosting their annual Thanksgiving Day Brunch on Thursday, Nov. 27. With Northwest culi-
nary delights ranging from Alder smoked salmon with citrus mascarpone cream to roasted loin of pork with Madeira date sauce and of course a traditional holiday turkey with cranberry apple relish and pan gravy, this is a sure-fire way to spend Thanksgiving in gratitude and with loved ones. Brunch is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is $41.95 for adults and $20.50 for children ages 6-12. Children 5 and younger are free (and there is a children’s buffet!) For reservations, call 541-595-1260. No better way to run off that scrumptious turkey dinner and warm those bones in the cold air than to participate in the Turkey Trot Fun Run & Walk at Black Butte Lodge on Saturday, Nov. 29. A fundraiser for the Sisters High School Nordic Ski team, the event is $10 per person, and there will be a raffle for participants after the event. The adult route is about 3.5 miles, and there is also a kid route (12 and younger) that is just over 1 mile. For more information, contact Jan Terhaar at 541595-1282. Black Butte Ranch’s Breakfast with Santa will be on Saturday, Dec. 20 and Sunday, Dec. 21 from 9 a.m. -1 p.m. at The Lodge Restaurant. The Black Butte Ranch culinary staff will offer a special holiday kids buffet for those who are visiting Santa after his long trek from the North Pole. Bring your camera! For reservations, call 541-595-1260. With all the dazzling Sisters storefront delights and the winter wonderland tree scapes, there is no better way to enjoy the scenery than bundled up with your loved ones while being pulled by two prancing horses. The Black Butte Ranch Carriage Rides are offered Saturday, Dec.
20 through Thursday, Jan. 1 from 11 a.m. -2:30 p.m. Enjoy a hot cocoa around the fire pit at the lodge before or after your ride (included in the ticket price). To make a reservation, call the Welcome Center at 541-595-1252. And on Christmas Day, come celebrate with your friends at Black Butte during their Christmas Day Buffet from 12:30-5 p.m. For reservations, call 541595-1260. Five Pine Lodge will be hosting their sixth annual Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, Dec. 14, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. With a full holiday buffet spread for both adults and children, the Polar Express playing in the background, and a hot cocoa station complete with sprinkles and marshmallows, this is sure to be a winter wonderland delight. The best part? “We have the real Santa,” said Tricia Maxson, event coordinator at Five Pine Lodge. “He is amazing. He looks like him, sounds like him, and acts like him. He has a real beard and engages the kids so well.” Santa’s helpers and elves will be there to join in on the fun, too. Presale tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for kids ages 3-12, and free for kids 2
and younger. Day of tickets are $14 for adults and $9 for kids. All of the proceeds go toward the Family Access Network, including cash donations at the door. In lieu of purchasing a ticket, people can bring a toy or new winter item of clothing that is equivalent to the price of a ticket. Story time is at 9:45 a.m. Be sure to bring your camera to take photos of your little one with Santa! For more information, call Tricia Maxson at 541-585-2647. After filling the blustery, winter days making memories with all of these Sisters community mainstays, you will be able to fondly look back at the 2014 holiday season knowing you made it the most joyful season yet.
November 2014 | Sisters Magazine | 3
SISTERS HIGH DESERT CHORALE: Friday, Dec. 12 & Sunday, Dec. 14 • Sisters Community Church
Musical
CHRISTMAS Join the Sisters High Desert Chorale and other musicians for two free concerts this holiday season. by Susan Stafford, for The Bulletin Special Projects Wrapped in coats, hats, and mittens to ward off the cold, the people of Sisters gather each year for the annual lighting of the community Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Strains of familiar Christmas carols fill the air as the Sisters High Desert Chorale (SHDC) raise their a cappella voices to lead a singalong for the assembled revelers. But the tree lighting is only the first
of several holiday appearances by the chorale. Two free Christmas concerts are performed every December and have become their own tradition for the Sisters community. At the two concerts this year, the musical offerings by the 56-member group will include standard carols such as “What Child is This?,” traditional spirituals such as “The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy,” and several medleys or variations on a theme of both contemporary songs of the season and familiar carols. A particularly evocative piece this year sung in Latin is “The Ground,” based on the last movement of the contemporary “Sunrise Mass” (2008) by Norwegian-born composer Ola Gjeilo. Choir director Irene Liden wanted to introduce the chorale to new composers who are living on the West Coast. “Ola is now residing in Santa Monica, Calif.,” Liden said. “This piece is a vocal dynamic challenge with warm and rich chorale sounds. I like to offer the choir the chance to perform a wide variety of
SISTERS HIGH DESERT CHORALE
HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES Christmas Tree Lighting and Singalong
Friday, Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m. Fir Street Park (corner of Main Avenue and Fir Street)
Annual Christmas Concerts Friday, Dec. 12, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec.14, 2014 at 2 p.m. Sisters Community Church, 1300 Old McKenzie Highway (state Highway 242) Concerts are free to the public with a free-will offering taken. pieces while providing the community the opportunity to hear new and innovative musical compositions.” In addition to the chorale, the High Desert Bell Choir, directed by Lola Knox, will perform several seasonal offerings. In their public debut, the 17-member
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Sisters Children’s Choir of kindergarten through second-grade singers, under the guidance of Knox, will sing a few songs. Also slated for the program is the trio, We Three Strings, comprised of violin, viola and cello. Intermission will offer the audience, usually about 250 at each performance, the opportunity to sample free treats, homemade by choir members, and to chat with friends and neighbors. Liden, an accomplished opera singer, enjoys watching the process of the choir slowly developing from their first tentative attempts with a new piece into a cohesive unit that makes the music work. “I believe that creating the music improves the choir members’ sense of well-being and listening to it helps the audience feel better.” Membership in the chorale, which began when two smaller choirs merged in 2008, is growing beyond just Sisters residents, with members also coming from Crooked River Ranch, Terrebonne, Bend, Redmond and Eagle Crest. It is an all-volunteer organization, including Liden’s directing, with members paying a small fee toward music costs and the services of accompanist, Donna Moyer. After a break following the Christmas concerts, the chorale will resume their Monday evening practices in preparation for their spring concerts in May, which usually include more popular tunes and some musical theater numbers. There are no auditions to join the choir and being able to read music is not a requirement. A love of singing and ability to carry a tune is all that’s needed. Anyone interested in joining the choir in January may contact Irene Liden at 541-549-1037.
HOODOO SKI AREA HAPPENINGS: November through April
Photo by Tyler Roemer
What To Do at Hoodoo!
As darkness creeps into the afternoon, winter sports revelers look to the Santiam Pass and pray for snow. Sitting at the pass’s summit, the 76-year-old Hoodoo Ski Area awaits the most important ingredient to a successful season. Just 20 miles west of Sisters on U.S. Highway 20, Hoodoo Ski Area offers more than 800 acres of terrain, 34 runs, five lifts and one of the largest tubing parks in Oregon. After a disappointing 2013-2014 season, Hoodoo Ski Area is poised to kick off the 2014-2015 season with multiple fun events. The first season party arrives at year’s end. The annual Hoodoo New Year’s Eve Celebration, presented by Pepsi, takes place Wednesday, Dec. 31. Ski lifts will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., while the party lasts well after midnight. A professional fireworks show will commence at 9 p.m., with music, games and a special dinner in the lodge. Roughly 3,000 people rang
in the new year at the last Hoodoo New Year’s Eve Celebration. “It’s a great family-friendly atmosphere for New Year’s,” said Josh Alder, chief communications officer at Hoodoo Ski & Recreation. “Non-skiing guests are welcome to come hang out in the lodge and enjoy the free live music.” If you’re interested in trying out some new equipment, Hoodoo has several demo days lined up. One such day is Jan. 10 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., is the free-heel celebration known as BC Fest. The ski area will have demos, races, a costume contest and beer samples from Sisters own Three Creeks Brewing. Up to 1,500 skiers come out to take part in the festivities or try out some gear. “BC Fest is (a) great time for Nordic skiers and those who want to try free-heel skiing but aren’t sure where to start,” said Alder. Hoodoo Ski Area teams up with Oregon Adaptive Sports to invite disabled war veterans to ski or snowboard on the moun-
tain Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Participants and their families will enjoy ski or snowboard instruction, equipment, lunch and a group photo. The premiere event of the season is the Winter Carnival. The free, 34-year-old tradition takes place Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Events include an axe-throwing booth, frisbee golf, musical chairs, a three-legged obstacle race, a team tube race, a hula-hoop contest, a fly-athalon, a pie-eating contest, a ski javelin throw, an archery contest, a Hoodoo employee snow sculpture contest and bingo. Nearly 2,800 people stick around to watch the popular “Dummy Downhill,” as fake “dummies” are attached to skis and sent down a steep hill toward their eventual crash. On Feb. 14, head to Hoodoo to celebrate Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and mascot Harold the Hodag’s birthday with free s’mores and hot chocolate. Rodeo Day at Hoodoo, presented by The Sisters Country, is March 28 from 9
by Gregg Morris, for The Bulletin Special Projects
a.m. to 9 p.m. The eighth annual chili cookoff, mechanical bull riding and Glen Plake’s Snodeo Rodeo Competition are on tap for the celebration. Guests are encouraged to wear Western attire. On April 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hoodoo celebrates the season with their Spring Fling. More than 1,000 people flock to Hoodoo to participate in or just watch the Pond Skimming Battle Royale. Skiers and snowboarders, usually dressed in whacky attire, attempt to cross 100 feet of icy water. In addition to these events and more Hoodoo offers special ticket price days throughout their season. On Military Mondays, they offer two-for-one lift tickets for current and retired military members. Thrifty Thursdays, formerly Tightwad Tuesdays, has $19 ticket prices, from Jan. 8 to March 21. Hoodoo Ski Area is hoping to open Nov. 30, depending upon the cooperation of Mother Nature. For more information on the events, or their total amount of snow, please visit www.skihoodoo.com.
November 2014 | Sisters Magazine | 5
Sisters Gift Guide
Let the following ideas inspire you as you search for that perfect holiday gift.
Black Butte Ranch This holiday season, give a gift that will long be remembered — a Black Butte Ranch gift card. From golf rounds and spa treatments to romantic dinners and weekend getaways, a gift card is the gift of an unforgettable experience. Gift cards can be purchased online at BlackButteRanchStore.com or by calling 541-595-1252. The Glaze Meadow Sports Shop features great gift selections and also offers personal shopping services to help you select and package the perfect gift that will leave lasting impressions. www.blackbutteranch.com, 541-595-1252
Beacham’s Clock Co. Beacham’s Clock Co. has wonderful clocks for your gift giving needs. It offers a large selection of approximately 800 clocks with a wide variety of prices. From miniature to 10-foot grandfather clocks, let us decorate your hall, mantle and walls with beautiful time pieces. 300 W. Hood Ave., 541-549-9971 www.beachamsclockco.com
A Pill Box Pharmacy
A quintessential shop for all the special people on your holiday lists. From rustic western to city chic, Sisters Drug has it all ...
Vera Bradley • Gourmet Foods • Home Decor Root Candles and so much more ... Holiday Open House ~ November 29th - December 1st Great time to kick off the season’s shopping!
Sisters Drug & Gift 211 E Cascade, Sisters OR 97759 541-549-6221 6 | Sisters Magazine | November 2014
Give the
Stitchin’ Post
Gift of Sisters
Do you love to make exquisite, hand-made items? Whether you are an expert or an explorer, we welcome you to come in and enjoy the most beautiful fabrics, yarns, local fibers, and wool stitchery products available. 311 W. Cascade St., 541-549-6061, www.stitchinpost.com
Are you looking for the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for person in your life? From co-workers to family members, look no further. A Sisters Country gift certificate not only gives the gift of an amazing experience in Sisters, it supports local business. “Sisters Country gift certificates encourage people to shop, dine and play in Sisters,” said Erin Borla, marketing manager of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce. Gift certificates are available in $10 or $25 dollar increments and can be used at most businesses in Sisters. Now available at the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce (291 E. Main Ave., Sisters), take the stress out of your holiday shopping by picking yours up today.
Jen’s Garden
Let us create the moments that become memories. With our intimate cottage atmosphere and delectable Southern French-inspired cuisine, the only ingredients missing are you, your friends, and family. Give the gift that everyone appreciates most, the gift of your time. Five-course, three-course or a la carte gift certificates available. 403 E Hood Ave., 541-549-2699 www.intimatecottagecuisine.com
Paulina Springs Books
Offering great gifts for the whole family, we have fun and challenging games to please 2- to 102-year-olds. Our selection of high-quality toys are ones you won’t find elsewhere. And we have books for everyone, of course. Pick up our holiday catalog for super ideas for the book lovers in your realm. Get the dividends of enriched community by spending your money here at home! 252 W Hood Ave., 541-549-0866 www.paulinasprings.com
Central Oregon School of Ballet
We have made a big change! Come in to see Twigs Gallery & Home Goods! We are now featuring a beautiful gallery of fiber art, art supplies, and home accent pieces to decorate your home. We invite you to visit and see what we have in store for you! 311 W. Cascade Ave., 541-549-6061, www.twigs-sisters.com
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Journey with Clara as she dances on the arm of the Nutcracker Prince to the stunning Land of Snow and the delectable Kingdom of Sweets. There are so many reasons to delight in “The Nutcracker” ballet: the giant Christmas tree, the dancing dolls, Mother Ginger and her adorable clowns, the lavish sets and the iconic score. Add this to your Holiday traditions today. Tickets available at centraloregonschoolofballet.com
Twigs Gallery & Home Goods
O L O F BA
A Ballet for Everyone Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky Choreography: Zygmunt & Sarah Sawiel
Beacham’s Clock Co.
Sales & Service of the World’s Finest Clocks and Watches Exclusive manufacturer of award-winning clocks
300 West Hood • NW corner of Hood & Oak • Sisters, OR 541-549-9971 Open 9:30am - 5:00pm • Closed Sunday & Wednesday
541.549.2699 403 East Hood St.
Sisters
Celebrate the Season with friends and family. Jen’s Garden, a Holiday Tradition in Sisters Country.
www.intimatecottagecuisine.com November 2014 | Sisters Magazine | 7
GIFT CERTIFIC ATE
a gift for:
from:
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redeemable only at the businesses in Sisters Count ry
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96-602/1232
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SHOPPING DINING ACTIVITIES
This gift certifi cate in the amou nt of twenty-five dolla rs is valid at any business in Sisters Coun try SISTERS, ORE GON