CUBA CITY—A family-friendly holiday tradition returns to Cuba City on Dec. 9. With several shopping opportunities, an evening Christmas Glow parade and a visit with Santa Clause, the fourth annual Cuba City Chamber of Commerce Christmas Glow will feature something for everyone.
The Cuba City School choirs will be singing Christmas carols throughout the community during the day. Check the Cuba City Chamber of Commerce Facebook page for a listing of times and locations.
At 10 a.m., the United Methodist Church will hold its annual bake sale with all proceeds going to Feed My Starving Children, a Christian non-profit organization that coordinates the packaging and distribution of food to people in developing nations. The bake sale will be held at the church, 401 S. Main St., Cuba City, until sold out.
At 11 a.m. the Kids Holiday Shop and Winter Carnival will begin at the Cuba City Elementary School. Families can participate in cookie decorating, winter carnival games and photo booth. Walking tacos will be available to purchase. Shopping specifically geared toward children choosing gifts for family will be available.
The St. Rose Home and School Craft Fair will once again take place from noon-4 p.m. at St. Rose School. Vendors this year include: Catholic Daughters (Rada), Crafts by Sherry, Grandma Dee’s, Humble Pies, It’s A Stitch, JAKZ Creations, Karen’s Krafts, Placke Organic Milk Soap, Ruffled Feathers Designs, Sinsinawa Mound, The Bent Willow, Timmerman’s Talent’s LLC and Willow Tree Crafts. The Knights of Columbus will have a food stand in the gymnasium.
The Christmas Glow parade will begin at 6 p.m. The route will begin on Main Street at Calhoun Street, follow Main Street north to Benton Street, then turn left on Benton Street to Jackson Street and end at St. Rose School. Santa Claus has been invited to join the parade before meeting with children at St. Rose School.
Anyone interested in participating in this year’s parade should line up on Calhoun Street west of Main Street at 5:30 p.m.
The theme this year is The Polar Express. Prizes will be handed out after the parade for best float, best walking entry and best use of theme.
Leading up to the event, people are encouraged to sign up for the raffle drawing, where $400 in Chamber Bucks will be given away. To participate, visit one of the event sponsors, fill out an entry with your name and phone number and submit it into the box. No purchase is necesary. The raffle winners will be drawn in the St. Rose School gymnasium on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. You do not need to be present to win.
Sponsors include: Ag Tech, American Bank and Trust, Casey Funeral Home, Cuba City Family Dental, Cuba City Telephone Company, Dead End Bar & Grill, Doolittle’s Pub & Eatery, Gile Cheese, Gile Real Estate & Insurance, Haudenshield Funeral Home, Lori Droessler Real Estate, Mound City Bank, Munyon’s Auto Service, Nick’s Café, Scott Implement, Thompson’s IGA, Tri-County Press & Round-Up and Weber’s Processing Plant.
A second raffle giving away $100 in Chamber Bucks will be drawn that night. Children are encouraged to sign up for that drawing after they visit with Santa at St. Rose School. The winners of that raffle must be present to win.
There will be plenty to do to stay entertained while waiting for the raffle drawing. The Town and Country 4-H group will be facilitating a craft project. There will be cookies to frost, donated by Thompson’s IGA. There will also be a coloring station and temporary tattoo station. Free hot chocolate and popcorn will be available for families from 6-8:30 p.m.
During Santa’s visit with families, Britney Neis Photography will take free photos and will have them available online after the event. She will have more information available that night.
The event will take place “snow or shine.”
“We won’t let bad weather keep Santa from visiting Cuba City,” Dena Harris, organizer of the event, said. “Stop out to celebrate the Christmas holiday. We have had great attendance in past years and have a wonderful event planned again this year. We couldn’t have done this without our sponsors. Stop by their businesses and sign up for the raffle.”
The Giving Trees will once again be available this year. From Dec. 1-25, stop by American Bank & Trust or Mound City Bank in Cuba City and take an ornament from the tree. Each ornament contains a list of items that can complete a meal for a family. Purchase the items and return them to the tree before Dec. 25. All items will be taken to the food pantry in Hazel Green after Christmas.