Stick to the plan
Find gifts, fellowship and more at the Lincoln City Art Festival
Come one, come all, to Lincoln City’s official holiday kickoff event: the annual Lincoln City Arts Festival and Tree Lighting Party on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25 and 26, at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.
This free event will launch the Lincoln City holiday season with an ornament workshop, a visit from Santa, the Bakery Babe’s Bake Sale for homemade goodies, live music, Christmas carols, raffle prizes and a vendor sale of handmade goods. Live music will be provided by Rod Wilson on Friday, the Greg Ernst Trio on Friday and Saturday and Tigers of Youth on Saturday.
The 20-foot evergreen Christmas tree was donated by Peggy Philpott and transported by Lincoln City Towing. The Grub’s On will provide food and beverages at the festival café and Kenny’s IGA is providing baked goods and cookies.
“We are so thankful for all our supporting businesses and organizations,” said cultural center executive director Niki Price. “This is their gift to the Lincoln City community, and to all the visitors who come to our fair city for their Thanksgiving holiday.”
The tree will be decorated by Chessman Gallery director Krista Eddy, with help from event manager Judy Hardy and volunteers. Weather permitting, the tree will be illuminated every evening through December, on the center’s northwest lawn.
Shop the 30 vendor tables from local artisans in the auditorium, featuring everything from rugs and ornaments to jewelry and nuts on both event days.
On Friday, kids of all ages are invited to Krista’s famous Make-and-Take Ornament Workshop. In this year’s creative, fun and free family art project, you can design and assemble your own Christmas ornament. Kids under the age of eight should be accompanied by an adult.
At the time of the tree lighting, cookies will be provided while the talented Sweet Adelines offer their annual gift of Christmas carols and all will gather around the tree for the tree-lighting countdown. If the weather is too stormy, the countdown and singing will take place indoors, in Margaret’s Meeting Room.
Santa Claus will arrive shortly after the tree lighting, making his way down the hall to the auditorium stage, where he will hear wishes, give away candy canes and promises to stay until all the wishes are heard. Santa, aka Joe Speers, has donated his time, and will also pose for photographs.
On Saturday, a raffle drawing will include a number of prizes, including a four-foot chainsaw carved bear donated by local carver James Lukinich. You do not need to be present to win.
While visiting the center, pay a visit to The Chessman Gallery exhibit titled “ZuhG Life.” Local favorite artist, musician and local surf shop business owner, Bryan Nichols has teamed up with his sister Megan Brieno for this magical art exhibit of colorful and bold collection of paintings featuring ocean- and music-related subject matter as well as a joy and love for the arts.
Stop by the Fiber Arts Studio Gallery to see the new exhibit titled, “What’s Your 8?” a show by the High Fiber Diet group in which each piece represents a different “ate” or “8” word. When you view this collection of fiber art pieces you can challenge yourself to guess the word that each piece is based on and then check your guess by finding the word on the bottom edge of the canvas that each piece is mounted on.
The Lincoln City Cultural Center is located at 540 NE Hwy. 101. For more information, go to lincolncity-culturalcenter.org or call 541-994-9994.
Friday, Nov. 25
Noon to 7 pm Arts Festival, DIY holiday photos with the cultural center reindeer
Noon to 2 pm Rod Wilson, Country/Western
2 pm The Greg Ernst Trio, Jazz
2 to 5 pm Family Ornament Make-n-Take
4:30 pm Live performance by the Lincoln City Playhouse for Youth
4:45 pm Carol Sing with the Sweet Adelines
5 pm Countdown, tree lighting and cookies
5:15 pm Santa arrives! Wishes, photos and candy canes
Saturday, Nov. 26
10 am to 5 pm Lincoln City Art Festival continues
10 am to noon Tigers of Youth, Guitar
Noon-2 pm Richard Paris, Guitar/Oldies
2-4 pm The Greg Ernst Trio, Jazz
4 pm Raffle drawings