Yachats is ready for the holidays.
Volunteers and a crew from Pioneer Connect spent Wednesday placing and decorating a 21-foot Noble fir near the C&K Market in preparation for the community’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. Friday.
The evening kicks off a busy holiday weekend in Yachats filled with gatherings, a visit by Santa Claus, music and a long-running holiday bazaar.
Gary Paben and Don Myers of Pioneer cut the big fir Wednesday morning on a tree farm owned by Phil Spalnik near Eckman Lake in Waldport and then hauled it to Yachats to hoist into place. They returned Wednesday afternoon with a bucket truck to place the star on top and help string lights.
It is the fifth annual Christmas tree project organized by Yachats real estate agent Wendy Snidow, and the third year it’s been placed in the market’s parking lot. Snidow had help this year from Wendy Knudson of Ocean Odyssey vacation rentals and Information Station, and volunteer Mark Shepherd who spent Wednesday afternoon and Thursday finishing decorating the tree.
After wind and storms played havoc with the tree last year, Shepherd spent time this fall cementing five anchors into the ground to help more securely tie it down.
“It gets better and better every year,” Snidow said Wednesday as she strung lights. “I do this because I love Christmas. I’m nuts for Christmas.”
Friday is also the start of the longest-running holiday bazaar in Lincoln County – the 92nd annual Christmas sale by members of the Yachats Ladies Club. It runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the group’s clubhouse, 286 W. Third St.
The event – it’s more than just a sale — offers people an opportunity to find wonderful and unusual hand made gift items and support a local service group at the same time. All items are handmade by club members and range from all kinds of knitted items to jewelry, holiday decor and gifts for anyone in the family.
Also for sale will be a large selection of holiday candies, cakes, cookies and breads. The club is now also accepting credit cards.
It is also the last chance of the year for the club members’ famous pie starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. They are also offering lunch of homemade chili and cornbread from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $7.
During the bazaar club members will be offering $1 tickets for a raffle of a hand-made quilt to support the club’s scholarship fund. The drawing will be at 2 p.m. Sunday.
At 7 p.m. Friday is the second “Village Mixer” of the year which is a designed for people to get to know others through 2- to 3-minute conversations followed by mingling over coffee and snacks afterwards. It will be in the multipurpose room of the Yachats Commons.
The first holiday concerts of the season are Friday and Saturday night at the Little Log Church and Museum. The concerts are part of the organization’s effort to raise money to rebuild the historical structure in downtown Yachats.
At 7 p.m. Friday, Rhodd Caldwell will perform a reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas. His reading will be accompanied by projections of illustrations from the book by Trina Schart Hyman. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Cameron O’Conner of Eugene will perform a concert of classical guitar music.
Admission for either performance is $20 for adults and $5 for children under 12, payable at the door.
Santa arrives in Yachats Saturday morning.
From 9-11 a.m. Saturday children and their families can have breakfast with Santa during the annual event sponsored by the Yachats Lions Club and the Yachats Youth & Families Activity Program. It will be at the club’s headquarters on West Fourth Street.
During the free event children will have a chance to sit on Santa’s lap for pictures and receive a gift.