GREAT FALLS — If you want to experience or share some holiday spirit in Great Falls over the next few days, there are several events designed to do just that.
#1: "Candy Cane Lane" is back in Great Falls - and bigger than ever this year. It started out five years ago as one street of houses decked out with Christmas and holiday decorations in the Skyline neighborhood. Organizers say it has grown and expanded to other areas of town.
Every year, members of the Great Falls Early Education Association drive around to find the best houses and adds them to a map. This map is then created with a fun scavenger hunt. They pick two days where they promote light-seeing with family and friends. This year, the two nights are Friday, December 20, and Saturday, December 21, and the event will be at Jaycee Park (23rd Avenue NW and 4th Street). The event begins at 7 p.m. each night.
The Facebook event page says: "We are excited this is our 5th Anniversary and how much this event has grown! We will have Santa and much more out this year so we hope to see you out! This event is ALWAYS FREE. We do take monetary donations if you would like to give and these funds are used by our group to further educate local child care providers and resources for early education. We will also be selling our annual ornaments."
#2: The Mansfield Theater in downtown Great Falls will host a free screening of "The Polar Express" on Saturday, December 21st. Doors will open at 1:30 pm, and the movie will begin at 2 pm.
Everyone is welcome to attend; seating will be on a first-come basis until all seats are full. The movie, rated G (family-friendly), was released in November 2004, and grossed more than $311 million dollars.
The movie website provides this synopsis: "Late on Christmas Eve, after the town has gone to sleep, a boy boards the mysterious train that waits for him--The Polar Express. When the boy arrives at the North Pole, Santa Claus offers him any gift he desires. The boy asks only for a bell from the harness of Santa's reindeer. But on the way home, the bell is lost. Christmas morning, the boy finds the bell under the Christmas tree, and when he shakes it, the bell makes the most beautiful sound he's ever heard. His mother admires the bell, but she laments that it is broken ... for, you see, only a true believer can hear the sound of the bell."
For more information about Saturday's showing, call 406-455-8495.
#3: Daniel Urry hopes to spread some Christmas joy this holiday season, and wants other people to join in - he is organizing a Christmas caroling event for Monday, December 23rd.
Urry told KRTV: "It is my goal to make this a yearly tradition for Great Falls because we don't see carolers much anymore and I want to change that!"
He created a Facebook event page which states: "Come one, come all!! Musicians and Shower Singers alike!! Join the New Great Falls Carolers as we celebrate Christmas with Christmas Carols! Please message me with any questions! SHARE THIS EVENT WITH EVERYONE AND LETS MAKE THIS A GREAT FALLS TRADITION!!
Anyone who would like to participate is asked to meet at the Central Assembly Of God church at 2001 Central Avenue on Monday between 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM; the group or groups will then spend the next two hours caroling in the neighborhood.
To sign up, click here to visit the Facebook page , or you can email daniel.urry89@gmail.com or call him at 406-402-8223.
