Christmas season arrives in Plains with parade
An antique truck from Plains Drug in the Christmas parade in downtown Plains. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Santa and Mrs. Claus get a ride into town. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Children feel the excitement of meeting Santa Claus. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Lions Club President Steve Spurr hangs pinecone decorations. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Kinzley Halden, 6, from Paradise has a great time at the Plains Christmas parade.
Aspen Glase and Brylee Burbach make pinecone decorations. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Ember Paquet, 4, tries her skills in marshmallow roasting. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Kendall Spurr hangs her pinecone decoratons. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Marv Tanner, Treasurer of Lions Club, at the Plains celebration. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Christmas festivities began in Plains last week with a tree lighting and parade.
The sidewalks along Plain’s Railroad Avenue came alive with families and friends taking advantage of the many local businesses. Mountain West Clothing/Bean Bug, Garden Gifts and Floral, Mangy Moose Mercantile, 406 Outlet and Hello Sweetness Designs offered sales and giveaways. There were cookies and activities for the kids.
Santa’s helpers, with Lions Club President Steve Spurr, were seen along the greenway, struggling to erect this year’s Christmas tree. With the help of several passersby, they succeeded in getting it in the upright position, ready for decorations.
This year’s tree lighting ceremony was sponsored by the Wild Horse Plains, MT Lions Club who supplied fire pits, marshmallows, birdseeds and peanut butter for the tree decorations.
Games were supplied for the kids, as well as hands on instruction on making pinecone decorations that included birdseeds and peanut butter. As each pinecone ornament was finished it was placed on the tree for local wildlife to consume.
This is the first year the Lions Club has sponsored the tree lighting ceremony.
As daylight faded, sidewalks began filling up in anticipation of the Christmas parade. Twenty-five vehicles and floats were on hand in this year’s event, including antique cars, fire engines, with one being a 1939 Ford, floats, and of course the arrival of Santa in a jacked up 4X4, with Mrs. Claus by his side.
