Olde Fashioned Christmas

Presented by Palisade Constructors, Inc.

 

Get Away From It All at Palisade’s Olde Fashioned Christmas

 

animated Christmas bellsOn Saturday, December 13 get away from it all and enjoy the nostalgia of Palisade’s Olde Fashioned Christmas. Visitors will enjoy a full day of festive, holiday events, shopping, and colorful characters.

 

Activities begin at 11:00 AM in downtown Palisade with kid’s train rides and a kid’s craft tent. Shop the Olde Towne Marketplace, filled with vendor booths, and the town’s shops. Take a tour of Palisade’s art studios or a self-guided walking tour of historic downtown Palisade. Enjoy live holiday entertainment. Outdoor fire pits will be placed around town to provide warmth for the day’s events.

 

What would Olde Fashioned Christmas be without a Gingerbread House Contest & Showcase?  Located at the downtown Methodist Church, “builders” (contestants) can enter their “homes” from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. The showcase opens to the public at 11:00 AM.

 

Olde Fashioned Christmas poster 2008Tours of eight of Palisade’s most beautiful Victorian homes begin at noon. Tickets are $10.00 per person and can be purchased in advance at The Arts & Antiques of Palisade and the Palisade Chamber of Commerce. Starting at noon, take a nostalgic wagon ride of Palisade’s downtown district, compliments of Clark Family Orchards. Join in on our Silent Auction from 12:00 to 5:00 PM at the offices of Fruit & Wine Real Estate in the downtown Palisades National Bank Building. The Toy Run and Show & Shine Car Show, hosted by the Just 4 Fun Car Club, consists of classic and custom cars, and will be on display from 12:00 until 2:00 PM.

 

The Soup Challenge begins at 1:00 PM at The Blue Pig Gallery. Savor the taste of incredible soups from chefs of the Grand Valley’s finest restaurants. For $2.00, individuals can taste these fine soups and participate in judging the contest.

 

Santa arrives at 2:00 PM. Take pictures of your children with Santa. At 3:00 PM, enjoy a complimentary tasting of Palisade wines at the Palisade Café. Guests can take pleasure in High Tea at 2:00 PM at Palisade’s new Wine Country Inn. Tickets are $10.00 per person or $15.00 for adult & child, and can be purchased in advance at The Arts & Antiques of Palisade, the Wine Country Inn, and the Palisade Chamber of Commerce. Shuttles will be available to take visitors from downtown to the Wine Country Inn.

 

The Palisade Fire Department’s Chili Cook-off starts at 3:00 PM at the Palisade Fire Department.  At 5:00 PM, the Peach Queen officially lights the Town’s Christmas tree, immediately followed by the Christmas parade. For those wishing to cap-off the evening, festivities kick into full gear at Palisade’s local taverns - the Palisade Brewery, Peach Street Distillers, and Palisade Livery.

 

Throughout the day, be on the lookout for Palisade’s cast of holiday characters, including the Town Grinch (a.k.a the Town Grouch), Ebenezer Scrooge, and the Town Crier. Visitors are encouraged to dress in the style of the time. Olde Fashioned Christmas has grown into one of Palisade’s premier events. Join us for the festivities for what promises to a great, festive and fun-filled event.

 


 

Schedule for Olde Fashioned Christmas - Saturday, December 13, 2008

 

Olde Fashioned Christmas schedule

 


 

Special Events

 

This year's Olde Fashioned Christmas offers more fun than ever. There will be several contests and other opportunities to join the festivities.

 


 

Holiday Tour of Victorian Homes

 

Victorian houseNot to be missed at Palisade’s Olde Fashioned Christmas is the Holiday Tour of Victorian Homes. The tour is available anytime from 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM on Saturday, December 13th. Eight of Palisade’s most beautiful Victorian homes will be on display, decorated in holiday splendor.

 

Tickets are $10.00 per person and can be purchased in advance or on the day of, at The Arts & Antiques of Palisade and the Palisade Chamber of Commerce. Maps outlining this self-guided tour will be available at the point of origin – The Arts & Antiques of Palisade, at 3rd and Main Streets in downtown. Houses will be numbered and will correspond to the tour map. Enjoy a tour of some of the Palisade area’s most elegant, beautiful homes.

 

Click here to view, print, or download a map of the tour

 


 

High Tea in Palisade

 

High Tea in Palisade! On Saturday, December 13th, enjoy High Tea at Palisade’s new Wine Country Inn. Take pleasure in fine tea, sweets and savories served Victorian style, in a social setting. Centerpieces are provided courtesy of The Arts & Antiques of Palisade and Purrfect Creations Floral & Gifts. Fine music and the beautiful ambience of the Wine Country Inn complete the venue. Period attire is encouraged, but not required.

 

The event starts at 2:00 PM and finishes at 4:00 PM. Tickets are $10.00 per person, or $15.00 for an adult and child. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Wine Country Inn, The Arts & Antiques of Palisade, and the Palisade Chamber of Commerce. Purchase of tickets on Olde Fashioned Christmas Day will be available at the Wine Country Inn. Seating is limited!

 

Shuttle service will be available to/from the Wine Country Inn from downtown Palisade.  High Tea is sponsored by The Wine Country Inn, EB Realty, The Arts & Antiques of Palisade, and Mumzel’s.

 


 

Business Lighting/Decorating Contest

 

It’s time to get in the holiday swing of things! This year, in preparation for Olde Fashioned Christmas and the holiday shopping season, the Palisade Chamber of Commerce will again sponsor a special business decorating contest. All Palisade businesses are encouraged to join in on the celebration of the season.

 

PDF icon Click here for more information and a contest entry form.

 


 

The Soup Challenge: Savor the Taste of Great Soups!

By Sandie Cooper

 

Aaahhh! The wonderful smells of soups filled my senses as I walked into The Blue Pig Gallery in downtown Palisade. Like others before me, I started in a line that snaked out the door to the courtyard, and was given my first tasting of hot, steaming soup. “Wow!  Did that taste good,” I shouted for anyone to hear.  I finished the serving and moved onto the next station. The chef smiled and said, “Here, try this one.” One taste and I exclaimed, “Boy that is incredible!” I have had some good soups in my time, but never two back-to-back. On to the other stations where I readied myself for more soup-slurping pleasures. By the last station, I realized that I had reached the nirvana of soup tasting. Deciding on my favorite was not going to be an easy decision.
 
Well over 200 people came to downtown Palisade last December to taste and judge soups from some of the Grand Valley’s top restaurants at the town’s annual Olde Fashioned Christmas event. For the second year in a row, Inari’s soup was voted the number one favorite by the event “soup tasters.” The Red Rose Café took second place with the Raintree Restaurant receiving the third most votes. 
 
This year the Soup Challenge again takes place in the courtyard of The Blue Pig Gallery in downtown Palisade on Saturday, December 13th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (or sooner if the soups run out).  Attendance is expected to surpass last year’s due to the popularity of this event. So, dress warmly and come ready to taste another incredible assortment of soups while enjoying live music by James Baird. The price to taste and judge the soups is $2 per person. Winners again will be chosen by popular vote and announced in the Olde Town Marketplace at 3:30 p.m. where they will be awarded inscribed pottery bowls created by Palisade artisan Tim Wedel of Wedel Pottery.
 
So what did I learn from last year? This is a great contest that brings the community together! It promotes the restaurants and chefs who provide delicious soups for public indulgence during our Olde Fashioned Christmas celebration. The holiday season in Palisade always brings a renewed perspective.  Get ready to savor the next round of the “Nirvana of Soups!”

  
This year challengers include Inari’s Bistro, the Red Rose Café, and the Raintree Restaurant who will defend their titles and once again try for the top honors. Other challengers will be Bin 707, Good Pastures, Kannah Creek Brewery, and the Palisade Café. As for the soups being entered…you will have to attend the event to see what our soup-making challengers have in store for “voters” this year.

 

PDF icon Click here for more information and a contest entry form.

 


 

A Gingerbread House Contest To Remember!

By Dixie Burmeister

 

Last year was the first year of our increased efforts Olde Fashioned Christmas Gingerbread House Contest and Showcase and did you all come through for us! The entries from all our “builders” in all categories were charming, beautiful, fun, whimsical, clever and unique. We had boys, girls, men and women “builders” all join in the fun of creating some Holiday Magic. We had big houses, little houses, barns, farms and animals! All who came by to see the entries were totally in awe and delight as they carefully looked over each detail. The details including building instructions are in the form below. We hope you enter and for those of you who can’t; once you see the entries you’ll definitely experience holiday magic.

 

We are having the contest in the Historic Palisade First United Methodist Church at 365 Main Street just down from where the Children’s Free Craft Tent will be. We have check in from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and then open to the public for the showcase at 11:00 a.m. December 13th at the Olde Fashioned Christmas.

 

We then move the winners to the Wine Country Inn to be on display thru December 21st for your enjoyment while you shop their holiday gift shop.

 

Thanks to the Wine Country Inn for their support of the contest and for prizes along with prizes from Toys 4 The Fun of It, Enstrom Candies, Dalby Wendland and Vista Engineering and to Scott Beilfuss from Jostens for the wonderful ribbons. You have all joined to make this a fun event for all.

 

Remember that the youth and child categories allow Gingerbread House kits; kids, I have even seen a Gingerbread Train kits!


PDF icon Click here for more information and a contest entry form.

 


 

Olde Fashioned Christmas Parade

 

Almost everybody likes a parade. Please gather up your Christmas finery, your lights, and your imagination and be a part of the celebration of an Olde Fashioned Christmas sponsored by the Palisade Chamber of Commerce.

 

PDF icon Click here for more information.

 

PDF icon Click here for an application to participate in the parade.

 

parade route 2008

 


 

Become a Vendor at Olde Fashioned Christmas

 

Would you like for your business to have a booth prominently displayed downtown during Palisade's Olde Fashioned Christmas?

 

PDF icon Click here for more information.

 

PDF icon Click here for an application for space for a booth.

 


 

Silent Auction

 

The Silent Auction is a fund raising event for the Palisade Chamber of Commerce. We encourage you to participate in our Silent Auction by contributing items suitable for resale. We would welcome your donation.

 

PDF icon Click here for a donation form.

 


 

Art Studio Tour

 

art studio tours

 


 

Olde Fashioned Christmas Photos

 

Click to select which photo to view.

 

High Tea - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper Girls in full dress at the High Tea - photo courtesy of Sharon Gray Wine tasting at Garfield Estates - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper At the Gingerbread House Showcase - photo courtesy of Steve Palen The Town Grinch - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper

Craft tent for kids - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper Z's Orchard at the Olde Town Marketplace - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper Rich and Joy Green in Victorian attire - photo courtesy of Sharon Gray Kids visiting with Santa - photo courtesy of Kelly Bater Ebeneezer Scrooge - photo courtesy of Steve Palen

At the Soup Challenge - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper Steve Neff and Melinda Eastham in Victorian attire - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper Varaison Vineyards float - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper Tour of Victorian homes - photo courtesy of Cathy Monroe Wagon ride through downtown Palisade - photo courtesy of Sandie Cooper


 

Sponsors

 

We wish to thank the sponsors listed below for their generosity in making Palisade's Olde Fashioned Christmas a success.