KCRS hosting Festival of Trees event!
By Veronica Smith
The Festival of Trees and the Town of Kerrobert Christmas Party is an action-packed two-day event. The Kerrobert Courthouse Restoration Society (KCRS) hosts these events in an effort to kick off the holiday season, bring the community together, and raise funds for our beloved courthouse building, which has been rebranded as Kerrobert’s Cultural Centre.
This year’s theme for the Festival is “Winter Wonderland.” It’s a wonderful community event, and the courthouse is the perfect venue! The KCRS uses this event as a fundraiser for courthouse restoration projects and a way to bring the community together for a fun-filled winter event. This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of the whole community.
Each year the KCRS sets up trees in the Courtroom Gallery, which individuals have donated over the years. Our local Prairie Branches group will be helping KCRS bring all of the Christmas trees up from storage in the courthouse’s basement and setting them up, which is a huge contribution to the event!
The trees are then decorated by groups and businesses that donate $60 towards the fundraiser. Each year, the kick-off to the Festival of Trees takes place the day before the Christmas party, which is always on the first Friday of December. Starting on the day of the Festival of Trees event, trees can be viewed during regular working hours at the courthouse throughout the Christmas season. Each tree has a bucket that people can “vote” with their donation dollars, and all donations are then put towards courthouse restoration projects.
There is also a “memory tree” that two members of the community have set up every year, where people can write down names of their loved ones who have passed and donate towards the Kerrobert Cemetery. Another special tree that is put up is the senior’s tree. People can take a name of a senior in the community off the tree. They then “adopt” the senior and give him/her presents throughout the holiday season, an effort to bring cheer and happiness to seniors in our community.
These two “special” trees are just beautiful additions that community members put in motion to make our Festival an even better event. KCRS is presently looking for more artificial trees to be donated and added to the collection for the event. So if anyone has a tree they would like to donate, please contact Staci Hall at 306-602-9097 or call the Town Office at 306-834-2361. Please call these numbers also if you would like to enter a decorated tree for the Festival!
The Kerrobert Wheatland Regional Library board has invited their Wheatland programmer, Desirae, to come out on this day at 10:30 a.m. for a special story time and to make snow globes. Later on, they have another special guest reader, Mrs. Zerr, who will have two story reading times. This time will be closed to the public. Reading times will be at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. The library is also handing out “Take & Make” kits. The library will be open special hours on the day of the Festival, which are from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m.
The Kerrobert & District Historical Society has been very busy preparing for the Festival of Trees by decorating the museum rooms, as well as preparing a brand-new Toy Exhibit! They are also offering museum tours from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m., and those interested can go on a self-guided “I Spy” pamphlet tour that the museum’s summer student developed this year. It will take you throughout the building, trying to find specific items.
The Tralapa Rangers are organizing and running the hotdogs and hay rides, and Council has approved the closure of the street beside the arena for tobogganing (weather permitting) from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The groceries for the hotdog sale are donated by the Kerrobert Chamber of Commerce, and anyone choosing to make a donation towards the courthouse restoration can choose to do so when they get their hotdogs.
The Courtroom Gallery is currently showcasing an exhibit by Anna Polsfut called “ART and Soul,” a multi-media collection, which can be viewed along with the decorated trees. There will be hot apple cider served, and at 7:00 p.m., there will be carol singing led by Lannette Ressler and Kristen Boyle.
The Courthouse Restoration Society will be handing out treat bags to the children throughout the day. The treats have been generously donated by our local Bick’s Drugs.
The courtyard will be lit up at 6:30 p.m. with lights that have been donated by businesses and members of the community. The Courthouse Restoration Society puts up the lights throughout the courtyard.
The next evening, KCRS is hosting the town of Kerrobert Christmas Party, with all funds going towards courthouse restoration projects. The Town Christmas party is an elegant night of great food, entertainment and dancing held at the Prairieland Community Centre. You can come and enjoy a delicious meal catered by Jan Taylor Catering, and for entertainment, be prepared for the musical stylings of Front Porch Roots Revue!
This band has played at the Chipman Blues Festival, as well as the Edmonton Blues Festival, but they are not only a blues band. They play both originals from their album called “Sugar Cube,” as well as cover songs ranging from Johnny Cash to the Rolling Stones, Emmy-Lou Harris or Etta James, The Beatles or Bob Dylan, and much more! It should be a great evening! You can phone the Town Office to reserve your tickets or tables by November 25th.