Sample the Season, Festival of Trees under way this week

Cue up the Christmas music, heat up the spiced cider and light up the decorated trees. This week, it will begin to look a lot like Christmas in Powell.

Sample the Season, the Festival of Trees and the Holiday Extravaganza all kick off this weekend in Powell.

Merchants will be open late and residents are welcome to stroll from business to business during Sample the Season from 5-7 p.m. Friday.

“They can go from participating merchant to participating merchant,” said Craig Kenyon, executive director of the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Businesses will have holiday treats to give away and Christmas merchandise on display, he said.

“They go all out for this, and they appreciate all the people who come in to eat and shop in their stores,” Kenyon said. “It’s really a good way for the community to come together to socialize and have a fun night to shop.”

Also on Friday night, local residents are hosting the Holiday Extravaganza, a vendor/craft show at the Park County Fairgrounds. The extravaganza takes place from 5-9 p.m. and will feature more than 20 vendors.

In another holiday event downtown, residents have an opportunity to win a fully-decorated Christmas tree during the annual Festival of Trees, sponsored by the Powell Rotary Club.

“It’s a great way to get ready for the holidays,” said Sharon Earhart with the Rotary club.

The festival features Christmas trees decorated and donated by individuals, organizations and groups. Trees will be on display from 3-7 p.m. Thursday and 5:30-8 p.m. Friday at The Commons.

Drawings for all the trees will take place during Sample the Season Friday night. Tickets are $1 each, or six for $5. The drawings will start at 7 p.m. Friday night at The Commons.

The tickets give everyone an opportunity to win a tree, Earhart said.

In the past, trees were sold during a silent auction, but Rotary decided to change things up a bit this year, she said.

Also in recent years, the Festival of Trees was hosted in vacant downtown buildings. Previous locations included the old Hedge Music and the old War Surplus building, but those buildings are now occupied, with Powell Family Dental and Nick Allen Photography, respectively.

“We’re good for real estate,” Earhart joked.

The Rotary also will accept donations for Powell Valley Loaves and Fishes during the Festival of Trees.

This weekend’s holiday events are a precursor of what will follow in upcoming weeks. After Thanksgiving next week, Santa Claus arrives in Powell and hosts a workshop at The Commons. Country Christmas kicks off the first weekend of December.