Re*Imagine Christmas

Medical Lake’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting event will be a bit different this year.

That’s because Re*Imagine Medical Lake will take the tree lighting and expand it into the city’s first Christmas Winter Festival on Dec. 10 from 2-8 p.m.

“We want to make an event that will bring the community together and make people feel good about the town they live in,” Terri Cooper, who is on Re*Imagine’s leadership committee, said.

This is not the first time Re*Imagine’s has helped organize a Medical Lake event. The organization, which is less than two years old, helped plan this year’s Founder’s Day parade and brought back the Trailblazer’s Triathlon.

Cooper said the idea for the festival stemmed from Medical Lake Councilwoman Jessica Roberts.

“She suggested the city start a ‘tour of lights’ and join Spokane’s light tour,” Cooper said. “At the next meeting, we decided ‘let’s do our own tour of lights,’ and it grew from there.”

For the tour of lights, Medical Lake residents, businesses and churches will display their Christmas decorations. Prizes will be awarded for the following categories: traditional, theme and “Grizwald” — or “mind blowing number of lights.”

Cooper said there are several activities confirmed for the festival, one being the Stocking Stuffer 5K Dress Up Fun Run/Walk at 2 p.m. Participants can wear ugly sweaters or Christmas-themed costumes during the race and win prizes.

Other activities for the festival include horse-drawn wagon rides and a Santa’s Workshop at Cela’s Creative Learning Center where children can make wooden sleighs and ceramic Christmas trees. Although the festival features new activities, it will continue the tradition of the city’s Christmas tree lighting. Santa Claus will arrive at 4:30 p.m. via fire truck and begin the tree lighting.

Cooper said Mayor John Higgins suggested having the festival on a Saturday to allow more families a chance to attend the event. In previous years, the tree lighting ceremony was on Friday.

“Last year, there weren’t a lot of people who attended the tree lighting because it was already over by the time they got off work,” Cooper said.

Cooper said Re*Imagine is partnering with several local groups and businesses for the festival. The Medical Lake High School Future Farmers Association will move their Christmas Tree sale to Cela’s parking lot. There will be pictures with Santa at Owl Pharmacy and the city will have its annual holiday movie in the City Hall auditorium.

“If we can pull all of that off by Dec. 10, (it would be) a miracle,” Cooper said.

Cooper added that local businesses will stay open late and have special sales. Local churches will have open houses as well.

“The idea is to have an event that is memorable and meaningful, supports businesses and brings the community together and that’s what Re*Imagine is about,” Cooper said.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].