Full day of activities planned

An exciting day of holiday activities are planned tomorrow as the Henryetta Hallmark Christmas opens. Committee members Kelly Dobson and Valerie Mosco, along with a host of community volunteers, have been busy planning the event, and began putting the ‘winter wonderland’ together this week. The Henryetta Hallmark Christmas event will take place Saturday, from 4-9 p.m. in downtown Henryetta, in the park adjacent to city hall. Decorations are in place at the park for the Hallmark event which will feature food, music, vendors, hot drinks, free cookies, holiday music, photos with Santa, live Christmas trees, and more. The Henryetta Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. An added treat will be Saturday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Roy Madden Pocket Park on Main Street, as the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce will host live reindeer with Santa Claus, and the opportunity to get your photo taken. Henryetta Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (H.Y.P.E) will also hold their Holiday Market and Photography Auction Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Briefcase, 313 W. Main. This fundraiser for the group will feature lots of vendors with Christmas and home decor, quilts, jewelry, handmade soap and bath items, and gifts for all ages. There will also be a benefit bake sale to assist the local Girl Scout community. The photo auction will feature photographs submitted by area residents several months ago, depicting life in Henryetta. Those photos, purchased with donations from area businesses, have been transferred to canvas, and will be up for silent auction during the holiday market. Next week, the Henryetta Chamber will host a Christmas movie, The Polar Express. It will be at the Civic Center, Dec. 9, from 12-4 p.m. The whole Polar Express experience will provide fun for all including having pizza with Santa, a cookie decorating station, hot cocoa bar, and other arts and crafts going on. --- Okmulgee Christmas Parade Next week, the Festival of Lights Parade returns to downtown Okmulgee, featuring the theme “Miracle on Main Street.” It will be Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. and once again, the first two blocks of the parade, Alabama to Seminole, will be sensory sensitive, with no noise and less lights. Okmulgee Main Street will judge the entrants with awards being given in the following categories: • Best Use of Music • Best Use of Lights • Best Use of Theme • Best Use of Costume • Best Use of Mechanical Movement • Overall Judges Choice Award Individually wrapped candy or information will be passed out directly to spectators by walkers only and not from vehicles. For more information about any of the upcoming events, contact the Okmulgee Main Street Office at 918-758-1018. Before attending the Festival of Lights Parade, take time to visit with the Okmulgee Rotary who is holding a fundraiser Dec. 7. The Okmulgee Rotary will be at Midge & Millie’s Booksellers, and invite the public to come take pictures with Santa. The event will be from noon to 6:30 p.m. Rotary is selling tickets for $15 per family. Each ticket gets a family picture with Santa, a Christmas book per family, each child can do a craft, and each child has the opportunity at a prize punch wall. Extra punch attempts and an extra picture with Santa will be available for purchase. Tickets are available at Miss Mary’s Market, Harlan Ford, Midge and Millie’s Bookstore and Schaudt’s Funeral Services, any Okmulgee Rotary member and by scanning the QR Code located on the Rotary Club Facebook page.