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DISCOVER! | NOVEMBER 26, 2016
Community | 13
KATE HARLOW | STAFF WRITER
WINTER NIGHTS &
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
Estherville hosts annual holiday celebration on Dec. 1
Horse-drawn hay rides, Christmas
carolers and the opening
of Santa’s house — sounds like
a snapshot from a Currier and Ives
painting. Or it could possibly just be
the view down the street in downtown
Estherville during their Winter
Nights & Holiday Lights celebration
on Thursday evening, Dec. 1.
There will be plenty to entertain
everyone in the family.
“Downtown will be bustling with
retailers open with great deals and
sales, carolers, tuba players, hay rides
and Santa’s House is open for the first
time,” said Lexie Ruter, the executive
director at the Estherville Chamber of
Commerce.
Santa’s House in downtown Estherville
is open every Thursday night
from 5-7 p.m. and Saturday mornings
from 10 a.m.-noon. Kids can stop
by and tell Santa what they want for
Christmas.
Another element of fun for Winter
Nights & Holiday Lights is the horsedrawn
carriage hay rides that are offered
free to anyone who wants one.
“We have the coolest horses that
pull the wagon. I don’t think they are
Clydesdales, but they are big, huge
horses and they are so pretty,” Ruter
said. “It’s a fun way to see the town all
lit up.”
Many of Estherville’s shops host
open houses and have special treats
like wine samplings or holiday goodies
like cookies.
After sitting on Santa’s lap, taking a
tour of the brightly lit town in a horsedrawn
hay ride and sneaking some
goodies while doing a little shopping,
the next sense to satisfy would be the
ears.
And Estherville has that covered,
too.
Carolers will be singing Christmas
tunes as they roam the downtown
streets. They also make stops in stores
to delight the shoppers inside with
some carols.
In addition to carolers, event goers
can tune their ears to Tubas. There
will be two Tuba Christmas concerts
during the evening. The show at 6
p.m. will take place at the Estherville
United Methodist Church and the
7 p.m. show will take place at the
Estherville Public Library. The 7 p.m.
performance is a sing-a-long and all
voices are invited to join in on the
singing of some Christmas carols.
Whether your tastes run to horsedrawn
rides, carolers, shopping or
Tuba Christmas, Winter Nights &
Holiday Lights has something for
everyone to enjoy. And over the past
15 years the crowds have varied depending
on the weather. No matter
the weather, it’s a great way to spend
some time enjoying the holidays with
the whole family.
“I love Christmas and our Winter
Nights & Holiday Lights, Tuba
Christmas celebration is a kind of oldfashioned
night with carolers singing
and the horse-drawn, hay ride and
the lights,” Ruter said. “Every single
building in downtown Estherville is
lit up and you can ride a horse-drawn
wagon looking at the lights. It’s a really
magical night.” F
At a Glance:
WHAT: Winter Nights & Holiday
Lights, Tuba Christmas
WHERE: Downtown Estherville, IA
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 1, from 5-7
p.m.
COST: Free
CONTACT: 712-362-3541
ONLINE: www.estherville.org
Christmas:
The year 2016 is the 43rd anniversary
for Tuba Christmas
concerts/events which are presented
throughout the world.
Tuba Christmas was conceived
in 1974 by Harvey Phillips as a
tribute to his teacher and mentor
William J. Bell, born on Christmas
Day, 1902. Through the legendary
William J. Bell we reflect on our
heritage and honor all great artists/
teachers whose legacy has given
us high performance standards,
well structured pedagogy, professional
integrity, personal values and
a camaraderie envied by all other
instrumentalists.
The first Tuba Christmas was
conducted by Paul Lavalle in New
York City’s Rockefeller Plaza Ice
Rink on Sunday, December 22,
1974.
Estherville | Iowa