SKOWHEGAN — The annual Holiday Stroll this weekend brings with it an atmosphere of small-town celebration, say organizers say.

“We’re trying to give it an old-fashioned, simple ‘come home for Christmas’ feel,” Melissa Gaspar, librarian at the Skowhegan Free Public Library, said of the Friday-and-Saturday event. “It’s partly because of the economic times and partly to generate those warm and cozy feelings of long-ago Christmases.”

The theme also focuses on children, she said.

“This year the children are going to be in the limelight as our hometown heroes,” Gaspar said.

“Many teens and children who have volunteered or given to the community are encouraged to march in the parade on Friday night.”

Members of the Skowhegan Area High School football team, which this year won the Eastern Maine Championship, have been invited to march in the parade, too. Gaspar said that makes sense because the team members are heroes for bringing community spirit to the town.

The 7 p.m. Parade of Lights — which will include Santa Claus — will line up at the library on Elm Street and travel downtown to Madison Avenue, then across Water Street. It will stop just before the Municipal Building, she said. The library will open its doors at 6:30 p.m. Friday to provide bathrooms and a place for warming up before the parade.

Children wishing to have their picture taken with Santa Claus after the parade can do so at the Renaissance Center, which will hold its Open House from noon to 2 p.m. Friday.

In keeping with the connection to Christmases of yesteryear is a Fiber Arts in Action demonstration from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the library, Gaspar said. River Roads Artisans Gallery is hosting the demonstration.

“Women will be knitting, spinners will be spinning and there will be felting,” she said, inviting anyone to come to watch or to bring their knitting or crocheting and join the fun.

“We’re also hoping to put candles in the windows of the library to make it look like a Currier and Ives painting,” Gaspar said. “The stores downtown also will be staying open until 9 p.m. for shopping.”

Hospice Lights to Remember will host a tree-lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Somerset Heart Health building, near the municipal parking lot.

Day Two promises an entire day of events, beginning with breakfast with Santa Claus from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Charrier’s restaurant on Madison Avenue and ending with caroling downtown from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Children will have a varied choice of events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including a visit to the Lion’s Talking Tree at Blueberry Cupboard to a free petting zoo and horse-drawn hayrides in the municipal parking lot.

Crafts for children will be provided from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Renaissance Center, led by Semper Fidelis members; and cookie decorating for children will be held at the same time at Empire Grill on Water Street.

Free books and crafts for children will be provided at the library from 10 a.m. to noon, the Christmastime movie “Polar Express” will be shown at 1 p.m. at the Strand Cinema, and a Kid’s Music Jam will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at the Old Mill Pub.
Saturday will conclude with the “good old-fashioned” caroling downtown, Gaspar said. “This is about bringing Christmas back to the community, the way it used to be.”

Darla L. Pickett — 474-9534, ext. 341
dpickett@centralmaine.com