A festive-filled weekend kicked off the holiday season in Oakridge

By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor/The Herald  —  Though it was near freezing and there were periods of rain, 1st Street was abuzz with folks for last weekend’s events.

Tree Lighting Event

Starting on Friday evening, there was the annual lighting ceremony for the city’s Christmas tree. City Administrator, James Cleavenger, not only lit the tree, but had donned climbing gear to place the lights on it earlier in the week.

Once the tree lighting event wrapped up, a group of a dozen or so revelers took to the neighborhood and formed a line of carolers. Some carrying lanterns fashioned to resemble old candle-lit boxes, the group sauntered along 1st Steet singing Christmas carols.  Most were bundled up against the chilly weather. Some though, really getting into the holiday spirit, were dressed as elves, angels, and other fanciful characters.

 

 

The Sugar Plum Festival lives on (under new management)

Saturday morning brought the first day of the renowned Sugar Plum Festival. The annual event, held in the Oakridge elementary school’s gymnasium, brings in vendors and visitors from around Lane County and beyond.

Shelby Tarman and Kate Earl assumed the management of the event just this year after receiving word that the Oakridge Booster Club would be unable to support the occasion. The two set about planning the festival in September, armed only with a binder of information passed on to them.

Shelby felt that the festival needed to be continued and volunteered to take on the task. Once she got rolling, numerous people from the community stepped in to help. As the wrestling coach for the Mat Club, Shelby has worked hard to generate funds to pay for the necessary expenses of the club.

Santa stopped by and was available for photos to be taken with the young ones (or older ones if you so desired).  A donation could be made, but not required, that would help support the wrestling program of the elementary school’s Mat Club. Across the gym, the Mat Club had a booth serving hot chocolate and had a table set aside where children could write letters to Santa Claus. The letters could be written for free, with hopes of donations to the club.

With the gymnasium having had their floor recently replaced, the janitor and other school volunteers had to cover the entire gym floor with tarps to protect the floor’s finish.

Beautiful baked goods, yummy confectionaries, and an abundance of hand-made crafts were offered up to the shoppers. Gems and stones, many fashioned into amazing jewelry were on display. You could get a necklace or bracelet welded permanently around your neck or wrist to signify your enduring attachment to someone dear to you. The detailed and intricate work that went into so much of the goods on display was inspiring.

Dozens of booths filled the venue allowing the visitors to weave their way through the myriads of temptations.

Near the entrance to the Sugar Plum, there was a gingerbread house contest sponsored by Heather Lee. Prizes were awarded to the best and most imaginative gingerbread house in three categories that included children, youth, and adult.

On hand to entertain the shoppers was the “Ukeleleans”. They played and sang and generally made for a more festive day all around.

Oakridge Museum Holiday Market

If you didn’t get all your holiday shopping done at the Sugar Plum

event, you hopefully stopped by the Oakridge Pioneer Museum to wander through and take a look at more handicrafts that were on sale there.

Warm soup, cornbread, and coleslaw was available for a $5 donation. Of course, cookies were available, and were given out to the youngsters who dropped in.

If you want to understand, or are just curious, about the illustrious history and colorful past of the Upper Willamette area, take a tour of the Oakridge Pioneer Museum. The museum is packed with stories that chronicle the Oakridge Westfir region.

There are amazing displays of artifacts from the early days when they were building the railroad line over the Willamette Pass. Other period pieces depict the construction of Hill Creek Reservoir located just outside of town. A mountain of colorful memorability from when Oakridge was a true logging capital is all located within the building. It’s been said that more timber came out of the Willamette National Forest than anywhere in the world.

The helpful and knowledgeable volunteer curators will give you a mind’s eye panoramic view of Oakridge and Westfir’s illustrious past.

The museum is open for tours on Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. You may also leave a message at 541-782-700 to arrange for groups.