Christmas Season is Upon Us

Jeff Green | Nov 23, 2022

The joys of rural Christmas parades are upon us. The Christmas craft season starts just after Halloween, but it is not until the parade and concert season get underway that the season really kicks into gear.

And the joys of a rural parade are many.

When the ratio of parade participants and attendees at the parade is close to 1-1, and the parade only takes up an hour or so out of a busy weekend day, that's a rural parade.

Two of the best parades are set for this Saturday. In Sydenham, the parade kicks off from the Firehall store at 11 am. After the parade, there will be hot chocolate and treats at the fire hall along with a performance by the Sydenham High School Band. And in Northbrook, the Land O'Lakes Lions parade starts and finishes at the Lion's Hall, followed by refreshments back at the hall.

On Sunday, the Frontenac Women's Chorus performs their annual Christmas Concert at Trinity United Church in Verona at 2pm, and at 7pm Chris Murphy and Jessica Wedden are performing at the Inverary United Church Hall. Both concerts are being presented for a free will offering, and the Women's Chorus is also collecting donations to the food bank.

And the weekend also features the return of Live Theatre to Sharbot Lake. North Frontenac Little Theatre presents The Red Lamp at the Soldiers Memorial Hall, a play that was performed in the same hall 100 years earlier, in 1922, the year that the hall was opened. The play has been altered a bit and there is a new cast. Local perfomers, Riley Merrigan, Courtney Kane, and Leslie Merrigan will perform before the shows on Thursday (Nov. 24), Friday (Nov. 25) and Sunday (Nov. 27). Shows start at 7pm (1pm on Sunday) and tickets are available at The Cardinal Cafe and the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy, $15 adults, $10 under 18.

The following Saturday, December 3, there are three more parades. The 3rd annual Battersea Santa Claus Parade starting at 1pm at Storrington Public School, and proceeding to the United Church for refreshments. And at 6pm, the world's longest parade sets out from the North Frontenac Township Office in Ardoch, and proceeds to the Ompah Hall for refreshments. On Sunday, December 4th, a stationary parade is set for the Parham Ballfield.

The weekend also features the return of the Festival of Trees in Sharbot Lake after a 3 year absence. The festival runs from 11-8 on Friday, December 2, and 10-4 on Saturday, December 3.

On the second weekend of December, the Sharbot Lake Parade is back on December 10, at 1pm in Saturday in beautiful downtown Sharbot Lake.

Finally, on December 17th, the stationary parade in Denbigh takes place at the Denbigh Heritage Park between 5pm and 7pm.

For a full list of events over the next two weeks, look to Northern Happenings on page 10, or for events this week right through to Christmas, go to Everythingfrontenac.ca/events.