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Long-form interviews and conversations from Mason County, Washington. Host Jeff Slakey sits down with local leaders, legislators, small business owners, and community voices for unhurried conversations about what's shaping the Hood Canal region — government, education, healthcare, the outdoors, and the people making a difference.
New episodes drop throughout the week. For daily local headlines, subscribe to KMAS Morning News with Jeff Slakey.
Well, we're coming up to the most wonderful time of the year in christmas town Washington it is the start of the holiday season and i'm here with amy cooper. How are you? I'm great. How are you? I'm good.
I love these conversations as we get ready for christmas and christmas town in shelton of course has a huge history with the Nighttime parade that's the first saturday in december then the holiday magic the day before that with the tree lighting But it really starts the planning process early Yes There's so many we're not starting to talk about it by summer We're almost behind the ball and we've got a lot going on this year. It all starts with the traditional small business saturday Which is the saturday after thanksgiving Right and that runs for two weeks where folks are encouraged to come downtown and shop the merchants or tell me about that Yes, we've got our shop shelton first rewards card And we're just looking to give a little extra incentive to both our citizens and our visitors to grab a Punch card a stamp card at any of our participating merchants And all you have to do is a minimum of fifty dollars spent and you can turn in your card to win prizes We put together different gift baskets from our local merchants and there's gift cards and all kinds of fun things you can win And all the the list of the participants is on our website. I'll put the links to in the podcast notes here Um, it seems like over the years you've been doing this more and more of our small businesses downtown have Bought into this idea and are staying open not only later these first couple days in december But you see them kind of open up later in the evenings as more folks are walking around downtown Seeing all the lights and seeing the trees and it's it really helps You know, it's one of those all Boats rise in the tide exactly.
Yeah, it truly takes a village right and we are You know thrilled with all of the things that are happening for christmas downtown and there's so many different organizations and entities that are putting on this these events and We as the downtown merchants are excited to be part of that to add to that Um, we'll have the there's a best friends friday happening the second friday of december Where all the shops will be open late again, so you can come down and and you know, get some christmas shopping done have some dinner And then the shops stay open late on december 5th during the tree lighting as well so you can come down for all those festivities, but then pop in and You know grab some some gifts and some some items and a meal and have a good time I was talking with somebody just the other day about the school choirs that perform at the tree lighting and that has traditionally been Such a fun event and that is again schools across mason county all gathered into the I don't even know what it is. It's like a semi-truck that's open up or something like that yes, they have the best seats because These last couple of years it's been a little wet for the parents that are watching. Uh, but just fills the downtown with Well, you know like buddy the elf says the best way to spread cheer is to sing loud for all to hear absolutely, that's exactly what happens as Santa and mrs Claus come in the tree gets lit and that friday the 5th with the tree lighting at six throughout the night People are like you said open late.
There's a kitty trains. There's music. There's fun Marshmallows, and there's just all sorts of things that really get people in shelton ready for this season and there's The festival the furs is continuing on this year with even more things going on the 12 ways of christmas Not only 12 ways in shelton, but 12 ways across mason county and um It's going to be a fun new look in the civic center parking lot Starting on that fifth through select dates where it's going to be kind of transformed and we're still you know trying to fully wrap our heads around what this is going to look like but think logging camp grisdale slash bavarian village slash Epicenter of all the fun for these days.
Yes, and it really becomes like the hub for all things christmas in shelton It's really amazing to see the visitors that we get this time of year i've i've personally been part of the um Organizations and the groups that host over in the civic center lot on a few nights and it was so cool to see The amount of people that were from out of town that then come to the info booth and look for You know, okay. We came and did this what else is there to do? I mean, they've they've made the trip out to shelton and they're looking forward to exploring some other things while they're here The mistletoe mile is back again For the first time in a long time and that is just before the annual christmas parade Which is right downtown railroad and then makes its way back up franklin and These parades as we know shelton comes out for these parades No matter what forest festival and christmastown in christmastown, especially because it's a night parade and The lights and the setups that people put into the hard work it really You know, the twinkle lights are shining and everybody's smiling. It's always so much fun.
Absolutely It's such a great time. I always have fun memories because we here at cooper studios opened that weekend 18 years ago now and did you yeah when it was? Yeah, that was our first, you know opening weekend and it was so magical To have that parade travel down railroad avenue uh forest and I just knew like we made the right call and where we were going to Run our business. So it's been amazing.
So we talked a little bit about the start of uh shop shelton first Which is that first saturday after thanksgiving? Then we move into the next weekend, which is that fifth and sixth that we were just talking about you briefly mentioned The best friends friday, which is going to be that next Uh friday, that would be the 12th. Correct followed by the third annual cookie stroll. Yes Oh my gosh, the cookie stroll is so much fun.
We're so excited that um, we're able to do this every year So this is a downtown merchants event. It's a ticketed event Tickets are available on our website 40 get you a commemorative ornament a cute little cookie box and you get a little cookie passport And we'll have 14 locations to visit this year and you'll get to get a cookie at each location Made by local bakers We have some awesome support from our local restaurants and bakers this year Uh, and then we also have the shelton high school culinary Team up at the high school baking for us. Yeah.
Yeah, so they're going to provide us with two cookies As well as several other people. We've got county line fire and tea's cafe wild and woodsy Northwest west expressions town pub blondie's taylor station And more, uh, so it's going to be A delicious event shelton downtown merchants.com slash tickets for that one again I'll put the link so people can get right to it. Is there a limit That you need to be aware of or the the patrons they don't you just sign up and there'll be enough cookies There so we're selling 150 tickets, that's our cap.
Yeah, and uh, we you know So we've still got I would say at least 60 tickets available. Okay. Yeah, so get on on that now because it's another part of the 12 ways of christmas here in shelton the cookie stroll third annual it's always a lot of fun to Uh shelton downtown merchants for more information on the different businesses that are in the downtown core Christmas town wa is the website or festival the furs is an easy way to think about it, too That site has a list of all the events across mason county Yeah, so like you were saying people come from out of town They maybe find themselves a place to stay and then they go Well, what's happening in union or hood sport and there really is something happening most every night through the month of december leading up to Uh christmas christmas eve and things like that.
So it's always a fun time here in christmastown washington because Yeah, uh one of the well at a time. It was the largest exporter of christmas trees Yes across into the in the whole country. Yes, and we love that designation here.
It'll never go away No christmas town always so you mentioned 18 years ago, but what are some of the other things that you Just love about all these events Um for me, it's community. It's so much fun to uh, you know Gather with friends and family see people you haven't seen in a while because they're all down here at the event Um, I didn't grow up in a small town. So it was super magical for me to um Be in a hallmark movie really? Yeah, uh, it's a lot of fun and we just really enjoy This season we enjoy That our daughter's grown up with this experience year after year It's become a real family tradition for us Do you have any details on the parade other than a six o'clock start? I mean how many last year I think we had a we had a ton of entries.
Yes, we did and so christmastown kiwanis has their Parade entries open and available on their website, which I believe is christmastown kiwanis.org Um, so you can go register to be part of the parade And it's always a good time. It's usually a good hour long. Yeah I love seeing the entries that have You know a ton of lights or have the the snow machines going and things like that Well, I was just going to ask regardless of the weather.
Is it going to snow here at cooper studios again? Definitely. Yes on friday night on friday for sure Uh, we'll put the links again so you can start planning your whole schedule But you definitely want to get tickets for the cookie stroll which is going to be on the 13th Working backwards from that is the best friend fridays the week before that We've got the parade and the tree lighting and then it all starts off on the november 29th That's saturday as we encourage everyone to shop shelton first where you scan the qr code And get your is the qr code on the tickets or who has the little punch cards every participating business They'll have the punch cards. So where you see the qr code it'll take you to our website That'll show you the list of participating merchants You can get a card at any of those places and make a purchase and they'll start stamping for sure I just got a message as we were doing this, uh from leanne Reminding us too that another fun event that's happening is bingo.
Yes on the 11th at the civic center parking lot So we'll be having a bingo party. It's gonna be awesome We're gonna have a root beer choir on the 19th great bend center for music is coming in to host Some caroling and we'll have root beer floats and there's all sorts of events happening So you really got to go to those websites and read up on them all good to see you you too. Thanks