The third annual Christmas Village at the Melfort Museum will feature some changes and also begin a fundraising campaign for future expansion.
For the second year, the Melfort and District Museum will host the Christmas Village for visitors to walk and drive through. The Christmas Village began in 2021 as a partnership with the Christmas Castle. It opens this year on Friday, Dec. 1.
Melfort Museum Curator Gailmarie Anderson said they’re already building on what they created the first two years.
“It is third annual and we’ve made some changes to entice people who have been here before,” she explained. “(There are) lots more lights, (and) we kind of made an enchanted forest in the middle open area out there which is amazing.”
As part of the Christmas Village, the museum will be lit up with lights.
The Christmas Village is open Dec. 1 to 2, Dec. 7 to 9, Dec. 14 to 16 and Dec. 21 to 22. from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. They will also be open for a drive through option each Wednesday on Dec. 6, 13 and 20.
Anderson said the drive through option will open up more opportunities for people who would not otherwise get to experience the Christmas Village.
“That’s going to help out a lot of people that can’t walk and stuff,” Anderson said.
Entrance is by donation, with the proceeds going towards their future expansion.
“It is a major fundraiser for us and all of the proceeds are going to the expansion of the museum,” she explained. “We’re going to be launching a fundraising campaign in the spring because we now have permission to expand the museum grounds to the west on some Ag Society property because we need more buildings, (and) we want more display space.
“We’re pretty excited about that, so it’s going to be a major cost,” she added.
The expansion is expected to be west of the Pioneer Village onto what is currently only used as parking for the Melfort Exhibition near the Four Seasons Arena each year.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
