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Christmas in Kenora events and festivities celebrate the spirit of giving

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Kenora is the place everybody wants to be for the holiday season. The city’s Yuletide festivities are now underway with several traditional community events already having taken place over the Nov. 22-24 weekend.

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The lighting of the Kenora Christmas tree drew quite a crowd to the corner of Main St. And Second St. S. on Friday, Nov. 22. The relatively mild weather for this time of year was likely a factor in attracting so many families with young children downtown to take part in the official kick-off to the Christmas season in Kenora.

This year’s giant Christmas tree was donated by the Duguay family with 11-year-old cousins Londin and Hunter throwing the switch to light up the tree and Kenora’s busiest intersection in the spirit of the season.

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Afterwards, Lake of the Woods Museum staff and board members welcomed everyone over to their open house for hot chocolate, spiced apple cider, cookies and gingerbread. The Sideways Singers and the Friends of the Museum choir (First Baptist Church) sang carols setting a festive mood for folks to mingle.

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The Miracle Marathon sponsored by 89.5 The Lake commemorated its 29th year on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22-23. The two-day live broadcast from Wilson’s Business Solutions on Second St. S. raised donations of food, gifts and cash on behalf of the Kenora branch of the Salvation Army Christmas Cheer campaign.

Kenora Salvation Army community ministries director Sandra Poole welcomes the support as volunteers are busy assembling more than 200 hamper boxes for distribution at Christmas time.

The Miracle Marathon is an uniquely Kenora custom that helps makes Christmas a little brighter for local families in need.

The celebrations continue as the countdown to Christmas is now less than four weeks away.

Two major Christmas in Kenora community events are on the calendar for the upcoming Nov.29 -30 weekend.

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First up is Festival of Trees at Lake of the Woods Museum and the Douglas Family Art Centre – The Muse.

The annual display of brightly decorated Christmas Trees in support of the Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation gets underway with the auction Friday evening, Nov. 29 followed by Community Day on Saturday, Nov. 30.

This year more than 20 brightly decorated Christmas trees sponsored by local groups, businesses and families are up for auction at the opening night gala. The trees will remain on display through Saturday where folks can admire the custom decorated trees while the kids have their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

On Saturday evening the Kinsmen Club of Kenora’s annual Christmas Parade of Lights illuminates downtown streets with dozens of colourful and brightly lit floats.

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This spectacular attraction is a family favourite enjoyed by generations of local residents as the event brightens one of the shortest days of the year in colour and light.

The route for this year’s parade is new as well. The parade marshal will assemble the floats in order departing from Kenora Curling Club at 5 p.m. as usual. However, this year the route follows the newly open promenade along First St. S. To Main St. looping around and back along Second St. S. to Park St.

Be sure to bring a non-perishable food item as the Salvation Army elves will be collecting donations along the parade route.

Let’s not forget about the CP Rail Holiday Train. The colourfully decorated Holiday Train rolls into Kenora’s east rail yard across form the Wholesale Club at 3:20 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2. Performers on the boxcar stage for the 2019 cross Canada Tour are Juno-nominated Canadian singer-songwriter Scott Helman and Canadian Country Music Association Award winning recording artist Madeline Merlo who hails from Maple Ridge, B.C.

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The CP Rail Holiday Train raises donations of cash and food for community food banks across Canada. So once again, remember to bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the Salvation Army. CP Rail traditionally makes a substantial ‘Big Cheque’ donation to the Christmas Cheer campaign as well.

Kenora detachment OPP and community first responders will be at Kenora Safeway, Walmart and Canadian Tire for the annual Stuff-a-Cruiser event on Saturday, Dec. 7. They will be accepting unwrapped gifts for girls and boys on behalf of the Salvation Army’s Christmas Cheer campaign.

The Stuff-a-Cruiser is well supported by the community year after year along with all the other special events, attractions and celebrations over the holiday season, testimony that the Christmas Spirit of giving is alive and well in Kenora.

Reg Clayton

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