By John McCallum
Managing Editor 

Holiday Hoopla happening this Friday

 

Last updated 12/3/2020 at 12:51pm

CHENEY – This year’s annual festivities to kick off the holidays will be more about town than just downtown.

Holiday Hoopla is happening this year, albeit taking place in a more spread out format due to COVID-19 restrictions. The celebration takes place Friday, Dec. 4, beginning at 5 p.m. in the parking lot of Jarms Ace Hardware where everyone will form up and follow a Cheney Fire Department engine carrying Santa down 1st Street to the Cheney Library where the virtual tree lighting will take place at approximately 5:30 p.m.

At the library, Cheney Merchants Association secretary and social media chair Cassie Day said volunteers will hand out maps through open vehicle windows of participating decorated houses in the city and a ballot to cast their vote for which one is the best. Day said 25 homes had signed up to be part of the competition and procession, with Santa and the fire engine guiding viewers on most of the route which spans the city from Salnave to Golden Hills.


“The fire truck won’t do the whole route,” Day said. “We’re going to decorate a vehicle for people to follow once Santa is dropped off.”

At the conclusion of the decorating procession, everyone is invited to the Cheney Middle School parking lot for a showing of the 2003 movie “Elf” ala drive-on-movie style. Some Claymation animated Christmas short films will run beginning at 6 p.m., with the main feature kicking off at 7 p.m.

Day said movie-goers will be handed a bag of pre-packaged snacks as they arrive, and can turn in their best-decorated ballots at that time. No restrooms will be available on site, however.


Holiday Hoopla is organized each year by the CMA, which was awarded $6,475 from the city’s lodging tax fund by the City Council at its Nov. 24 meeting. The funding will be used to help pay for expenses such as movie projector system rental, printing costs, Christmas lights and other holiday festival items.

Holiday Hoopla is typically held downtown, and features local businesses and other outdoor activities on a section of 1st Street blocked off to traffic. Due to COVID-19 protocols on business occupancy and gatherings, CMA organizers elected to go to a virtual, more spread-out format involving all of Cheney.

“We’re trying to keep it a fun event while also keeping it COVID safe,” Day added.

To help keep Cheney residents in the holiday mood, the CMA is also sponsoring an “Ugly Sweater” virtual competition. Participants are invited to post their ugly holiday sweaters on social media between Dec. 4 – 11 with the hashtag “#CheneyUglySweater” for a chance to win a basket of prizes from local CMA-member businesses.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.

Author Bio

John McCallum, Retired editor

John McCallum is an award-winning journalist who retired from Cheney Free Press after more than 20 years. He received 10 Washington Newspaper Publisher Association awards for journalism and photography, including first place awards for Best Investigative, Best News and back-to-back awards in Best Breaking News categories.

 

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