Ashland parade, Festival of Light coming up Nov. 29, day after Thanksgiving

By Jim Flint for Ashland.news

Ashland, Talent and Phoenix will unwrap the magic of the holidays with a variety of events, festivities and activities for the season.

Families can catch Santa as he makes his rounds, enjoy festive lighting ceremonies, watch a parade, stroll through holiday markets, and much more.

Mark your calendars and get ready to join in the fun, because this holiday season your hometowns are turning up the cheer.

City of Ashland

In its 32nd year, Ashland’s Festival of Light Celebration kicks off on Friday, Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving. This year’s theme: “Love Ashland Local This Holiday.”

“We want to showcase our incredible small business community and underscore the importance of supporting local businesses all year round,” said Dana Preston, membership and business development director for the Ashland Chamber of Commerce.

In the spirit of the season, the chamber’s message is not only shop local but also enjoy festive fun all around town — finding the perfect gift, savoring holiday treats or soaking up seasonal events.

Santa, along with his reindeer and elves, will parade down to the Ashland Plaza where he will greet the crowd and then light the town from the Brickroom restaurant balcony.

“Ashland will come alive with over 1 million lights, illuminating the business district all season long,” Preston said.

The next day, Nov. 30, is Small Business Saturday. Making a comeback is a text campaign, first introduced in 2021, designed to support local shopping.

“Here’s how it works,” Preston said. “People shop at our stores or dine in a local restaurant and then text the Ashland Chamber a photo of their receipt. Each local purchase text is an entry for prizes awarded every Monday from Dec. 2 to Dec. 30.”

The prizes are $25 gift certificates. And this year, the chamber will be adding extra bingo card-style bonuses throughout the season. Participants who complete the bonus cards are eligible to win a grand prize.

Preston said another family activity this year is a Santa Scavenger Hunt, sponsored by the chamber and Evergreen Federal Bank. Game cards and clues will be available on the chamber’s website.

Local carolers will stroll through the town every weekend. “We love the lovely ambience it adds to our beautiful town during the holidays,” Preston said.

Another way the chamber supports local business year-round is with its gift certificate program. You can purchase certificates for stocking stuffers or to wrap as gifts. Recipients can redeem them at about 50 locations.

For more information, updates, and to learn about promotions, visit the chamber’s website at ashlandchamber.com.

City of Talent

Talent residents and visitors from neighboring towns can enjoy two annual events during the holidays.

The Holiday Gift Tree goes up the second week in November at City Hall, 110 E. Main St., to benefit families in need.

Tags on the trees show a family member’s first name and a suggested gift. Participants can select tags from the tree and buy gifts the city will distribute. Donations of gift tags, stickers and gift boxes are also welcome. Gifts will be accepted until the second week in December.

For more information, contact Coleen Bradley at 541-535-3828 or by email at [email protected].

The annual tree lighting ceremony in Talent will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6 at Old Town Hall, 206 E. Main St. (Update, Nov. 18: Due a fire inside of Talent Town Hall earlier this year, the holiday tree lighting event and schedule will be adjusted. The Ashland Community Health Foundation is working with the Talent Historical Society and Talent Maker City on a modified event.)

In addition to the lighting ceremony, the Local Goods Market will be open, featuring local vendors and businesses selling seasonal and gift merchandise. The event is sponsored by the Ashland Community Health Foundation.

For more information, visit cityoftalent.org or email [email protected].

Talent Maker City

Celebrating its first holiday season in a brand-new building at 109 Talent Ave., Talent Maker City has two major events planned for December.

TMC partners with many Southern Oregon businesses and nonprofits that use the maker space as a resource for sharing tools, equipment and skills.

On Dec. 6, TMC will host Treemendous Ornament, an ornament-making workshop sponsored by Ashland Community Health Foundation.

At the free event, families can create homemade ceramic and wooden ornaments. Painted laser-engraved trees and ceramic Oregon-shaped ornaments are examples.

In its 11th year, Lights on Bikes is an event that combines a workshop with a parade. Set for Saturday, Dec. 14, the festivities begin with a safety check at Talent Maker City from 3 to 4 p.m., a bike workshop from 4 to 5 p.m., and then a parade from 6 to 7 p.m.

“Everyone is invited,” said TMC development coordinator Nina Gerona. “This is a family-friendly event.”

In order to participate in the parade safely, bikes and other human-powered, wheeled machines (wheelchairs, unicycles, etc.) must be lighted. The parade route runs several blocks through the city of Talent.

The event is free for those who bring their own bikes, but a small fee is charged for LED lights if needed.

“It’s all about spreading the love of bike riding,” Gerona said. “We want to celebrate with a creative holiday spirit and have fun too.”

Alli French is the executive director and an original member of the first Lights on Bikes crew.

For more information about these and other events, call TMC at 541-897-4477.

City of Phoenix

Phoenix will hold its annual Christmas tree lighting festivities from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Phoenix Plaza Civic Center, 220 N. Main St.

Santa, very busy in the Rogue Valley during the holiday season, has Phoenix on his schedule, arriving at 5:15 to light the tree. He’ll stick around for pictures and to hear kids’ Christmas gift wishes.

Entertainment will be provided by the Phoenix-Talent Elementary School choir, singing songs of the season.

First Presbyterian Church and the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce will provide cookies and hot cocoa to warm the tummies and hearts of those attending.

Reach writer Jim Flint at [email protected].