2025 Christmas Stroll
Author: Matt Nelson
Matt Nelson
There were a lot of happy faces in Townsend on the evening of Saturday, December 7th, while the annual Christmas Stroll was going on. Sponsored by the Townsend Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club, Broadway Street was jammed packed with people lined up to see the parade and wandering in most of the stores that were open and offered treats.
Santa’s Workshop, located on the lot at the corner of Broadway and Front Street, had a stream of parents taking their kids to see the big guy himself. Santa and Mrs. Claus warmly greeted the kids, gave them candy, and asked what they wanted for Christmas. Naturally, the kids were excited and had the biggest grins.
But these kids were not the only people with happy grins – Emily, Violet, Char, Baylee, and Madison, ladies working at the Mountie Moose Bakery, made the older people pleased with the tasty donuts they served.
The Rotary Club was responsible for putting up all the strings of lights on the big tree at Mazza Park, and they did a good job of it, too. The tree looked very nice. Nearby, there was a snow globe about six feet in diameter, which was excellently made.
Leading off the parade was the Chamber of Commerce car, and an unidentified man from the U.S. Forest Service riding a horse followed a trailer with a banner on the side which said “Precision Business Resources” and had several adults throwing candy. Behind them a pick-up truck with several strings of Christmas lights and a big blow-up Santa had kids near me saying “Oohs and Ahs!” Following the truck with the big blow Santa were several Junior High and High School girls wearing Santa Claus hats and jackets that said “Vigilantes” (probably from East Helena) marched and waved batons.
Also in the parade there were pick-up and/of flat bed trucks that represented several businesses or organizations, such as the Broadwater County Bull Dogs, Broadwater Community Theater, Little Creek Feed, and a green Grinch Santa standing in a flat bed trailer. A couple high school kids drove a decorated John Deere tractor with a trailer holding more kids.
The Townsend STOKE organization’s van was in the parade, as well as another truck with kids in back and a label on the truck saying FIREBRAND FORESTRY. The most interesting parade vehicle was very well decorated with many lights, had two reindeer, and a very tall Christmas tree.
At the end of the parade the Rotary Club had a trailer with a log cabin on it, with some kids standing behind the cabin near a Christmas tree, and at the back of the trailer was a red sleigh holding another (fake) tree with the words, “Santa’s Tree Delivery."
All of you participants did a very good job. Thanks, and Merry Christmas to all of you and your families.
Article Images
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PhotoCredit: Matt Nelson
Image 1 Caption: Santa and Mrs. Claus pass out candy to the kids
Photo Credit: Matt Nelson
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Image 2 Caption: Giant snow globe near Massa Park
Photo Credit: Matt Nelson
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Image 3 Caption: Here comes Santa Claus
Photo Credit: Matt Nelson
Image 4 Caption: Best decorated truck
Photo Credit: Matt Nelson
Image 5 Caption: Even the Grinch made an appearance
Photo Credit: Matt Nelson
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