Holiday events continuing this weekend

After a busy Thanksgiving weekend, holiday events will return to the area Friday and last through this coming weekend and beyond.

Friday, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will again host their Hi-Line Nativity Festival, themed "Mary Did You Know," with the display open 2-9 p.m.

"We will be exhibiting Nativities from around the world as well as art and sculptures depicting the Savior's life and ministry," a Community Christmas Festival release said. "If you would like to offer your personal pieces to be displayed please bring them to 1315 Washington Ave. ... Tuesday from 3-8 p.m."

The Nativity Festival is part of the Community Christmas Festival that also includes the Live Nativity Drive Through at Van Orsdel Methodist Church Saturday 5-7 p.m. and the Piano and Pipes concert at First Lutheran Church Sunday at 2 p.m.

Volunteers in costume, often accompanied by live animals, will recreate the Nativity at the Van Orsdel Methodist Church, and people can drive through from the north end of the alley behind the church at 410 Fifth Ave.

The annual Piano and Pipes holiday concert is again set at First Lutheran Church Sunday as well.

"Come out and enjoy a beautiful selection of music shared by many musical groups throughout the community," a Community Christmas Festival flyer said. "Enjoy the peace and joy that beautiful music can bring."

Non-perishable food items or cash donations are appreciated, the flyer said.

Plenty more is going on in the area this weekend, especially Saturday.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Havre-Hill County Library will be hosting Holiday Wagon Rides, courtesy of Jack and Patti Solomon.

Cookies crafts and cocoa will be provided while people wait.

The event is, as always, open to the public, but a release from the library said that, to reduce stress on the equine and human volunteers, this year's wagon ride will be reservation only.

"People can call 406-265-2123 to reserve their spot," the release said. "Reservation holders should be 10-15 minutes early for check in."

That day will also see the return of a new and extended Dinosaur Christmas courtesy of the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum at their former location at the Holiday Village Mall from 1 to 4 p.m., an event for children that is expanding this year.

Museum Manager Caroline Tuss said they are extending the event by an hour and adding new activities, so people will have time to see everything going on at the mall that day.

"Dec. 2 is going to be a busy day up at Holiday Village," she said. " ... Come on down and enjoy some local history and prehistory."

This year, Tuss said, they will have their dinosaur egg excavation, cookie decorating, as well as a couple of volunteers in dinosaur costumes handing out candy canes and other holiday treats.

She said they will also have facepainting, a dinosaur photo board, and holiday ornament making.

She said the ornament making in particular is an interesting opportunity to expose young people to a little history, like how low-income families made paper ornaments years ago, when they couldn't afford practically anything.

Tuss said their location in the mall is a bit out of the way, so they're going to try to put up better signage this time around, so people don't miss it.

She said the museum already caters to a fairly niche audience, and in winter things slow down significantly, so they want to make sure everyone knows about the event and has a chance to go if they want to.

Cookies and Books with Santa will also be at the Holiday Village Mall at 2 p.m.

Also at 2 p.m. that day in Town Square will be this year's Subzero Superhero Polar Plunge hosted by the Havre Police Department.

The event is a fundraiser and awareness-raiser for Special Olympics, and the police department is hoping to match or increase the amount of last year's donation totals of $7,500.

The participants are members of local law enforcement and anyone from the public who wishes to take part.

Chouteau County Country Christmas will also return Saturday and Sunday with holiday events and specials as well as a plethora of vendors across the area.

In Fort Benton Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. businesses will be holding open houses and holiday sales with craft and specialty vendors setting up shop along Front Street and beyond.

Santa's Mall will be open at the Community Bible Center 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an Ornament Hunt will be held at the Courtyard at 1714 Front St. 1-3 p.m.

A Live Nativity will also be held on the levee 4-6 p.m. and the Santa Sighting and Tree Lightings will be at Old Walking Bridge at 5:30 p.m.

River Torch Luminaries, an event to honor loved ones lost, will also take place that day.

In Shonkin, there will be a book sale, vendors and food to raise funds for the Shonkin Community Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

People can get soup, stew, dinner rolls and a drink to support the hall.

Geraldine will have a fundraiser for the town youth center, along with vendors, as well as Indian tacos, pie and cheesecake by the slice at the Old Auditorium Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A kids carnival with an appearance by Santa Claus at 2:30 p.m. also will be held.

Virgelle Mercantile will have antiques and collectibles for special holiday sale prices, as well as refreshments from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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Havre Daily News staff Tim Leeds, Christy Bambrough and Pam Burke contributed to this article.