Santa Claus comes to town Saturday

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By David Peck

It’s Main Street Mingle time in Lovell. The annual Christmas kickoff event takes place this Saturday, Nov. 20, with myriad events including a fun run, free movie, a visit by Santa Claus, downtown shopping, Christmas tree lighting, a drawing for chamber bucks and a live nativity.

The fun begins Saturday morning with the return of the Dauntless Dash. The mile and 5K races begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Lovell Fire Hall, with registration at 8 a.m.

There is a $10 entry fee, and prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place in both the men’s and women’s 5K divisions. A hot chocolate bar will be offered.

The Mingle will continue at 11:30 a.m. with the free showing of the 2018 animated movie “The Grinch” at the Hyart Theatre.

The movie will end at 1 p.m., and as kids leave the theater, Santa will arrive on a fire truck and greet children on the sidewalk in front of the Hyart and the chamber of commerce office, chamber manager Linda Morrison said.

Santa will then head inside to the chamber office for photos and to hear what children want for Christmas. Parents will be able to take photos of their kids with Santa. The North Big Horn Hospital Share-A-Stocking program will have a table set up in the chamber office for the afternoon, and the annual coat drive will offer free coats at the chamber office during the afternoon.

Books From Santa will be offered at the Lovell Library from 1 to 5 p.m., and the Lovell-Kane Museum will be selling collectable Christmas tree ornaments during the Mingle, as well.

The Lovell Craft Fair will take place at the community center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Santa will be available to greet kids until 5 p.m., when he will head down the street to the downtown mural park for the tree lighting.

Meanwhile, downtown businesses will offer shopping specials from 1 to 5 p.m., and hot chocolate and cookies will be served at the mural park starting at 4 p.m. sponsored by the Town of Lovell and served by volunteer students from the Lovell High School National Honor Society and FCCLA chapters, along with other youth, Morrison said.

Lovell Elementary School students under the direction of Chauna Bischoff will start singing at the park at 4:45 and continue until around 5:15 as people gather for the tree lighting and chamber bucks drawing. Santa will light the tree with his magic elf dust, and a drawing will be held for the first $1,000 in chamber bucks, which are good at any chamber of commerce member business in north Big Horn County.

There will be 22 winners: four $100 winners, six $50 winners, six $30 winners and six $20 winners. Entry forms are available at local businesses.

Shoppers will need to be present to win some of the certificates, and for others, the winner need not be present, Morrison said. Nevada Avenue will be blocked off from Main Street to the alley on the north side of Main, she said.

Some businesses will have late hours Saturday, staying open until 7 p.m., and the Bible Church will host a live nativity scene from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

A second drawing for $400 in chamber bucks will take place on Saturday, Nov. 27, Small Business Saturday. There will be 11 winners: one $100 winner, two $50 winners, four $30 winners and four $20 winners.

For more information, call the Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce at 307-548-7552.