The Melfort and District Museum is looking to create new Christmas traditions.
For the second year they are hosting the Christmas Village at the Museum for people to walk and drive through. The Christmas Village began last year as a partnership with the Christmas Castle. It opens this year on Friday, Dec. 2.
Melfort Museum Curator Gailmarie Anderson said they’re already building on what they created last year.
“We have some great decorations. We have had some wonderful volunteers,” Anderson said. “We have been setting up—the whole month of October has been devoted to this, and September actually. It’s a big deal for us and it will be our main fundraiser so we are hoping people will be generous with their donations.”
As part of the Christmas Village, the museum will be lit up with lights. Anderson said they added several features this year, including the Back 40, an area at the centre of the oval that includes tractors, combines, and wagons decorated for the holiday season.
“It really adds to the lights because it’s all inside that big circle,” Anderson said.
“We extended it, we did some stuff with our caboose and saw mill on the other side and over to the Indigenous building and stuff, so it’s going to be great.”
Entrance is by donation, with the proceeds going towards other Museum events, like their summer offering of family and youth programs.
The Christmas Village is open Dec. 2 to 4, Dec. 9 to 11, Dec. 16 to 18 and Dec. 21 to 23. from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. They will also be open on Dec. 14 for Drive Thru by appointment only. Anderson said that’s because they can’t do walk and drive thru concurrently.
“It’s all walk through outdoors, but we do have the school and the church decorated and you can go into them,” she explained. “You enter through the Powerhouse and it’s decorated and then we have hot cider and we have a roaring bonfire every night. They can get their cider and walk around or go by the fire and drink it or whatever.
“Another added feature is that we have Santa Claus here most times. He will be sitting in the school and kids can talk to him.”
Organizers have extended operating hours this year to include the City of Melfort’s Twinkle Light Tour on Dec. 15. Residents won’t be able to walk through the village on foot, but drive-thru options will be available.
Anderson said the village was extremely popular last year, and that’s why they brought it back for 2022.
“We are just really excited to welcome everybody. People that came last year said that they would like to come again this year,” she said.
The Christmas Village is one of several Christmas events happening in the city. There will also be a Christmas Light Contest, the Melfort Campground light tour, and the return of the Christmas Castle to the Melfort Post Office.
Anderson said they’ll stay open until Dec. 23 to accommodate as many visitors as they can.
“I know a lot of people come home for Christmas that last weekend,” she explained. “We wanted to stay open so they could come to the Village and kind of make it a family tradition.”
For more information or to book for the Dec. 14 drive thru call 306-752-5870 or email melfort.museum@sasktel.net.
