Ken Graham: FROM THE PUBLISHER

On December 7, 1985, which was a Saturday, nearly 200 people gathered on Waitsburg’s Main Street to celebrate a new community event and take part in a drawing for cash prizes and gift certificates from local merchants.

As The Times reported the next week, “Mayor Tom Baker (who was also The Times’ publisher at the time) plugged the tree in at about 7:30 p.m. The Waitsburg Chancel Choir and the Youth Choir sang ‘Jesus Knows Me, This I Love.’” (I think that’s a typo – either that or it’s a different song than the one I remember.)

“Our Hometown Christmas” was put on for the first time that year – and has been each year since – by the Waitsburg Commercial Club. It was devised as a way to get local shoppers to shop locally, and it was deemed a big success.

Waitsburg’s big Christmas event takes place again this weekend. It has evolved into a broader holiday celebration that includes music performances and vendors at Town Hall on Sunday, and Turkey Bingo, put on by the American Legion, at the elementary school the night before.

“Hometown Christmas now also includes a wonderful lighted parade on Main Street on Sunday evening at 5. A chili feed will be held after the parade.

This year, a cookie exchange and kids’ cookie decorating workshop will be held for the first time.

One highlight that has carried on through the years is the giveaway drawings from local merchants. Drawings will begin at 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Gift certificates and other prizes from many businesses throughout the Touchet Valley will be handed out.

I hope our readers from all around the Touchet Valley will get a chance to come to downtown Waitsburg and help celebrate “Our Hometown Christmas.”

And it will be a great reminder of the importance of shopping at local businesses whenever possible to help support our local economy.