EMILY HSUEH
SHAWVILLE Dec. 2, 2020
Christmas cheer came early to the Pontiac this past weekend as Shawville was filled with colourful lights, Christmas crafts and handmade goods, and even a visit from Santa.
The festivities kicked off on Friday night, Nov. 27. A small crowd gathered at Veterans Memorial Park for the annual tree lighting ceremony.
Municipality of Shawville councillor Patti Moffatt has been hosting the ceremony for the last seven years, since the municipality took it over. There are usually . . .
a few more events planned, but with health concerns there were changes that had to be made.
“We’ve always provided hot chocolate and cookies for the people who gathered and we also have songbooks that we made up seven years ago, and we hand those out,” Moffatt said, “In previous years, the churches would get together and they would carol down Main Street.”
Though there were no songbooks, a few carols were sung and guests did not leave empty-handed. Kids received small gift kits and adults received vouchers for coffee or hot chocolate from Café 349.
“I love sharing the Christmas story because Christmas is truly a gift to the world and people need to know what it’s all about,” Moffatt said.
The next day, Nov. 28, the town was packed with local vendors and shoppers alike. All down Main Street were booths displaying handmade art, accessories and more for the Shop Shawville Christmas Market, which ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Eline van der Veen was in attendance with her children selling handmade Christmas arrangements. They just recently started their business Kids, Cows & Flowers Co. at the beginning of the month, and her sons Keagan, eight, and Kaleb Ingalls, nine, where very enthusiastic to be selling their work.
“We started by selling sunflowers and then this winter we wondered, ‘Do we do this? Because there’s not anyone really selling it… so we thought, ‘Sure, why not try it and see.’ We saw online that there would be this street market.” said van der Veer.
“It was good, we had a table full of stuff and it’s pretty well all gone,” Keagan exclaimed. The family will be hard at work fulfilling custom orders, and the kids all got their fair share of the earnings from the market.
Artisans’ work was also on display at the Little Red Wagon Winery’s Christmas Market, though the artists themselves were not present. To keep with health regulations, the artists came in earlier in the week to set up their wares at the third edition of the winery’s market, according to co-owner Jennifer Dale.
Later in the day, the crowds replaced the vendors’ tables on main street in anticipation for the annual Santa Claus Parade, which started at 3 p.m. and looped around the town. The parade’s path was extended this year into the residential streets to encourage people to watch the parade at a safe distance from their cars, homes and lawns.
Dozens of floats and happy faces made their way through town, from decked out pickup trucks to dazzling trailers with lights and costumed characters. The caravan was rounded out with Santa greeting the masses from his float.
The following floats won awards:
– Best horses: Pontiac Pride Ranch
– Best commercial float: Boutique Shawville Shooz
– Best agricultural float: RM Lang
– Best kids float: Shawville Fair
– Best overall: New Hope Christian Fellowship.
