Winter events and activities during the holiday season

Corrections: The Ten Trails housing development’s tree lighting times were incorrect. The correct times are noted below.

WINE WALK

Whether the weather will more resemble a crisp autumn evening or a soggy winter night, downtown Enumclaw will be hosting its semi-annual Fall Wine Walk. Cole Street will be closed to traffic as business stay open late to serve various local and regional wines from 5 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 16.

Tickets can be bought online at https://enumclacwwinewalk.bpt.me/ or at the door for $30, which include 10 tasting tickets, a collector tasting glass, and a wine passport.

The VIP tickets are all sold out, but look out for them during future Wine Walks, as they come with a limited edition tasting glass, 15 tasting tickets, and an exclusive early check-in location.

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNERS

The Black Diamond/Maple Valley Kiwanis Club is hosting their 11th annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday, Nov. 24, from 11 to 1 p.m. at the Black Diamond Elementary School. Meals are free, and local musician Steve Israel will be playing live music, along with the Black Diamond Arts Alliance offers craft projects for children.

There are other communal Thanksgiving celebrations on the Plateau, but geared toward the area’s seniors (though family and friends are encouraged to join). The 11 a.m. Thanksgiving lunch — featuring classic foods like turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie — also comes with a live performance by the Community Blend band. RSVP by contacting the senior center at 360-825-4741.

The Buckley Senior Center is also hosting its communal Thanksgiving event for seniors on the 20th, but the meal begins at noon.

The Black Diamond Community Center is hosting theirs on Nov. 21 at noon; RSVP by calling 360-886-1011. Early birds can catch Stan’s Band and dance the morning away at 10:30 a.m., and those staying after the meal can play Bingo.

CREATE YOUR OWN GREETING CARDS

In response to community input, the Enumclaw library is hosting a workshop on how to create your very own collage greeting cards, using numerous up-cycled materials. The class, taught by Emily Mallory, will bring enough materials for attendees to make and keep up to five cards. Registration is required for the Nov. 23 class, which goes from 2 to 4 p.m., and can be done online at kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/5d449d06fdf6e6240016bec6.

TREE LIGHTINGS

If you’re looking for holiday spirit, you don’t need to look further than your local city.

Enumclaw, Black Diamond, and Buckley each have their own tree lighting ceremony near the end of November.

In Buckley, the Nov. 30 event can be an entire afternoon affair, with Santa Claus arriving in style at the Buckley Gazebo on North River Road at 2 p.m. while Mrs. Claus sets up camp at the Buckley Library from 2:30 to 4 p.m. for story time.

There will also be food vendors, carolers, and crafts for the entire family to enjoy before the tree is lit at 5 p.m.

Just across the river, the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce is hosting the city’s tree lighting, also on Nov. 30, but at 6 p.m. There will be coffee, cocoa, cookie decorating, and carolers.

Finally, Black Diamond gets two bites of the proverbial apple. First, the Black Diamond Community Center is hosting its tree lighting on Dec. 6, with carolers starting at 5:30. Attendees can warm themselves up with cookies and hot chocolate until Santa arrives via Black Diamond’s historical fire truck at 6 p.m., which will be when the tree is lit. Pictures with Santa are available until around 7:30 p.m.

Then on Dec. 7, the Ten Trails housing development is hosting its Hometown Holidays kickoff from 2 to 5 p.m.

Crafts will be available for kids and their families in select model homes from 3 to 5 p.m., and Santa will be available for photos from 3 to 5 p.m.. Saint Nick will then light the community Christmas tree at 6 p.m. while families can listen to carolers, sip cider and (non-alcoholic) hot buttered rum, and enjoy food truck fare. There will also be a bouncy house on the Village Green for kids and a live DJ.

ENUMCLAW PARADE CELEBRATES SEASON

Enumclaw loves a parade!

For the 54th year, the local Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a holiday parade, this year carrying the theme “Christmas Magic.”

The parade annually rolls south along Cole Street and includes plenty music, appearances by businesses and civic groups and, or course, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

This year’s parade begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.

Want to be in the parade? Entries will be taken until Friday, Nov. 22. The entry fee is $50 ($30 for nonprofits). A form is available at: https://enumclawchamber.com/public/events/54th-annual-chamber-christmas-parade

Isabelle Banks, 3, gets a boost from her mother to drop her letter to Santa into his mailbox at last year’s tree lighting in Buckley. Photo by Ray Miller-Still

CASCADE FOOTHILLS CHORALE CHRISTMAS MAGIC

The Cascade Foothills Chorale will be singing Christmas and holiday songs at Calvary Presbyterian Church (1725 Porter Street) to welcome in the season of giving. There are two shows — one on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. and another on Dec. 8 at 2:20 p.m.

Pre-sale tickets can be bought for $12 at the Enumclaw Music Store on Cole Street, or at the door for $15. Children under 12 can come free.

The CFC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Learn more by heading to https://www.cfchorale.org/events.html

HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS DAY

The Black Diamond Historical Society is prepping for its annual holiday event, which will be hosted on Dec. 14 in partnership with Ten Trails. There will be live music, sugar cookie decorating, an outdoor s’more station, story telling inside the museum, hay wagon rides, and of course, visits with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Frosty the Snowman between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The Black Diamond Elementary School is hosting its PTA Holiday Crafts Bazaar on the same day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the school’s gym at 25314 Baker Street.

WINE AND CHOCOLATE

The 12th annual Wine and Chocolate Festival is descending on the Enumclaw Expo Center from Feb. 7, 2020 from 4 to 10 p.m. to Feb. 8 from 2 to 10 p.m., bringing with it not only wine and chocolate, but foods and crafts from all around and beyond Washington.

Tickets can be bought at the door or online at https://www.enumclawexpo.com/event-info/wine-chocolate-festival-feb-7-8-2020, and come with a collectors glass and six tasting tickets; additional tickets can be bought for $1.