On Saturday November 26th, the Pines Resort will be hosting our 31st consecutive Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting.
Each year, close to a thousand people gather at Bass Lake on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, to kick off the Holiday Season with a festive parade of lights, tree lighting, and the arrival of Santa Claus. Guests wander around the middle parking lot, drinking hot cocoa, starting their Holiday gift shopping at the craft fair, enjoying holiday music by DJ. Last year we have added nearly ten thousand dollars worth of new lights and holiday decorations to celebrate this 30-year tradition. This year, we are going to add even more!
SCHEDULE*:
10:00am Pines Village Arts & Crafts opens in the Conference Center
5:30pm Parade Festivities start (Music, Lights, Food, etc.)
6:15pm Float Parade of Lights and Arrival of Santa Claus
6:45pm Christmas Tree Lighting
7:00pm Pictures with Santa (details below)
7:30pm Closing
*schedule will be updated on November 22nd, please come back to check it.
How to participate?
There will be multiple parts to the event so everyone can decide on how they want to participate this year. You can also participate in more than one way. This is a great way to kick off the Holiday Season with your loved ones or promote your business or organization.
ATTEND THE EVENT
Guests, residents, and visitors are encouraged to gather their family and friends, and come to Bass Lake on the Saturday, following Thanksgiving. The Pines Village will be converted into a Christmas Village, just like seen on a Hallmark movie. The middle parking lot and the adjacent Pines Village Park will be filled with festive decorations and inflatables, illuminated with Christmas lights and all of our favorite holiday music, provided by DJ. It is free to attend.
HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER with PRIZE DRAWING
In 2020 for the first time, we decided to replace our typical Christmas Raffle with a Holiday Fundraiser with Prize drawing. As a result, the first year we were able to donate $2,670.24 to the Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation. Last year (2021) your generosity allowed us to increase the donation to $3,394.89!
We made the decision to continue this format this year. Again, for the thrid time, The Pines Resort has decided to donate a 3-night stay (a Sunday thru a Tuesday) our luxury Granite Ridge Villa (prize value up to $3,110!). For a donation, each person will receive an entry ticket to the prize drawing. For a $25 donation – 1 ticket; for $100 donation – 5 tickets or for $200 donation 12 tickets.
All proceeds from the Holiday Fundraiser will be donated to the Valley Children’s Hospital.
Donations will be accepted starting on November 15th and continue through November 30th, 2022. The winner will be selected on December 14th, 2022. Prize can be redeemed on selected dates in 2022.
The form will be available on November 15th, 2022
LETTERS TO SANTA – GIVEAWAY
In addition to the Free Bike Raffle for children, all families are encouraged to help their children (under the age of 12) write a letter to Santa and include some of their most wanted (3-5) items. Pines Santa will step in to help parents (and the North Pole Santa Claus) and randomly pick at least 5 families and grant at least one wish per child.
To help us with the logistics, we require all letters to be submitted on a specially designed form. One form per family (please include all children in the home on one form). The letter must be dropped off on Saturday, Nov. 26th during the event from 5:30pm until 8pm, and gift pick up will be hosted on December 17th & 18th (the weekend before Christmas). Any unclaimed gift will benefit Toys For Tots. Last year due to generous donors, we were able to grant at least one wish for every child who turned in their letter:
2021 (Last Year’s) Sponsors:
PINES VILLAGE ARTS & CRAFT FAIR
Join us for the last Pines Village Arts & Crafts Fair in 2022! Start your Holiday shopping and enjoy an opportunity to purchase custom gifts, handmade items and unique finds. In addition, you are supporting our local artists and vendors:
- crochet & knitted items
- preserves (jelly, olives)
- artworks and decor
- soy candles
- pottery
- custom hats
- vintage jewelry
- aprons, purses & accessories
- dog accessories
- concrete items
- natural cosmetics and bug repellent
- porch signs
- furniture and more.
We have 20 vendors signed up and they will be set up outside the post office from November 25th until November 29th..
FLOAT PARADE
Are you a business, club, association, organization or a family that is looking for a fun way to start the Holiday Season? Join us this year and decorate your vehicle, trailer or a boat with holiday lights and inflatables. All floats must be self-sufficient. The cost to participate is $20 and all proceeds will be added to the main donation for the Valley Children’s Healthcare Foundation.
One of the beloved traditions is to pass candy out during the event. Please make sure all candy is in its original wrappers. Be cautious and throw the candy away from the vehicle. It is up to participant whether they wish to participate and do so at their own risk.
The Pines Resort will be closing the venue to foot traffic during the event to ensure safety of all participants. Read more…
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
- Inflatable Donation – if you do not have time to build a float or simply do are not able to participate in person, please consider (as a family, business, or club) to purchase and donate an inflatable. You are welcome to customize it (dress up, add business logo, etc.) and we will display it in the Park across from the Bakery for the entire Holiday Season. This is a great opportunity to add some joy to the season, as well as get more exposure for your organization. The bigger – the better. Cost: inflatable + $20 spot reservation.
- Secret Santa – help us make some kids’ wishes come true. Let us know if you are willing to participate in the Secret Santa program and we will let you select one or multiple letters and grant wishes. Number and type of wishes is at your discretion. We only ask for the commitment in advance and fulfillment by the deadline Dec. 10th, 2022.
- Pictures with Santa – Santa & Mrs. Claus will be available to visit and take pictures with guests. We ask that each family brings an unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots in lieu of payment; otherwise pictures are available for a cash $5. Children will be able to drop off their letter to Santa and enter the free gift giveaway. They will be set up in the Cedar Room, accessible from the Front Desk lobby.
- Charitable Donation – consider making a monetary donation to Valley Children’s Hospital. It will help provide neccessary care and services to pediatric patients, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Suggested donation: $50 will be combine with any adidtional proceeds from the event.
.
Safety precautious
For safety of our participants, staff, and spectators, the event venue (middle parking lot) will be closed to foot traffic. The event will be held from 5:30pm until 7:30pm outdoor and inside the conference center. We urge everyone to participate responsibly.
Leave A Reply