With the shortest day of the year only a month away, the sun is more elusive than ever. Now is the time to stay inside and enjoy time with friends and family while the snow falls and the holidays approach. Luckily, it’s easy to do just that with several events just around the corner throughout the Kenai Peninsula.
First, Soldotna will host a food drive and Turkey Trot at the Soldotna Field house on Nov. 27 from 8-11:30 a.m. Admission is two or more non-perishable food items per person. To help spread out participants, runners will trot from 8-9 a.m., walkers will take over from 9-10 a.m. and families can participate from 10-11:30 a.m.
Christmas Comes to Kenai will return to the Kenai Visitor Center on Friday, Nov. 28, for a day full of treats, festivities and fireworks. After arriving in town on the Kenai firetruck at 11 a.m., Santa and his elves will be available for photos. Kids can also make goodie bags and enjoy cookies, candy canes and hot chocolate until 4 p.m.
The Electric Lights Parade will begin at Spur View Road along Frontage Road on Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. There’s no need to sign up, but attendees are encouraged to start lining up at 5:30 p.m. The parade will end in the Kenai Visitor Center parking lot, where folks can warm up with a bonfire and more hot chocolate before the grand finale. A fireworks show will begin at 7 p.m., and anyone watching from home can tune in to Radio Kenai stations KWHQ 100.1, KKIS 95.5, KFSE 106.9 and KKNI 105.3 for music to accompany the show.
Anyone looking to get their Christmas shopping done early is in luck. For two days in December, the Happy Holly Jolly Bazaar will offer booths full of items handcrafted by local vendors and perfect for Christmas gifts. Shoppers can support local entrepreneurs and find gifts for everyone on their lists on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Kenai Visitor Center.
Vendors can register for an 8-by-8-foot booth at the chamber’s website. Booths are $50 for both days for Kenai Chamber members and $75 for both days for non-members.
The Kenai Chamber of Commerce is hosting an Angel Tree to give back to those in need. Families in need of assistance can sign up anonymously, and anyone can nominate a family who may struggle to put gifts under the tree. Nominations are open until Friday, Dec. 5.
Anyone interested in supporting the Angel Tree may do so by picking a single or family tag from the tree or donating money at the visitor’s center by Dec. 15. The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce is also hosting a drop-off for people to donate gas and grocery cards.
Soldotna Library Friends will host a Holiday Art/Book/Bake Sale on Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Soldotna library community room and basement. Baked goods, books and Alaskan art will be available “at bargain prices” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and all proceeds will support library programs.
Soldotna’s Christmas in the Park is also Dec. 6. The event will kick off with Santa’s arrival at 3 p.m. The tree-lighting ceremony is at 5 p.m., and kids can get their photos taken with Santa until the fireworks show begins at 6:30 p.m. Families are also welcome to enjoy musical performances, reindeer, cookies, cocoa and horse-drawn hayrides. The event is free to all, but the chamber asks attendees to leave their pets at home to ensure everyone’s safety.
Finally, Forever Dance Alaska will open its 10th annual “Forever Christmas” performance in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. with additional performances that Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 and on sale now.
The web version of this story on peninsulaclarion.com will be updated with additional events as they are announced. If you know of an event on the central Kenai Peninsula that’s missing from this list, reach reporter Chloe Anderson at chloe.anderson@peninsulaclarion.com.
