Big holiday plans for Havre and Chinook

It's not the weather, but rather Thanksgiving on Thursday that kicks off the holiday season, and the Hi-Line already has plans.

In Havre, things get Christmas-y right quick, the morning after Thanksgiving. Breakfast with Santa Claus starts at the Holiday Village Mall at 9 a.m. Santa will follow up breakfast with a photo-op for the kids from noon to 3 p.m., and will keep that photo schedule all this weekend and every weekend until the middle of December.

The Saturday morning breakfast should offer a break from the Black Friday shopping, for which the mall is opening at 3 a.m. All of the mall's stores will be opening between 3 and 6 a.m.

In Chinook, Friday is the 25th Annual Parade of Lights.

The parade starts at 6 p.m., with participants lining up at 5:30 p.m. at Meadowlark School.

The parade will go down Indiana Street, with most people usually lining up between 2nd and 3rd streets.

Preceding the parade is a "Christmas Stroll" during which local vendors can meet with people looking to get a bit of local Christmas shopping done.

Holiday activities will take place throughout the day.

Heather DePriest, who helped organize the event working for the Chinook Chamber of Commerce, said over the past-quarter-century, the Parade of Lights has become a holiday tradition.

"It's kind of become a fixture for Chinook," DePriest said. "It's a fun time."

On Saturday, Havre is holding their annual lighting festivity, the Community Tree Lighting in the Town Square on 1st Street at 5:30 p.m.

After taking pictures at the mall all afternoon, Santa will be showing up downtown for some more fun at the tree lighting, where there will be festive activities, live music and vendors peddling wares.

Havre's schedule of events is available at http://www.havremt.com.

It's not the weather, but rather Thanksgiving on Thursday that kicks off the holiday season, and the Hi-Line already has plans.

In Havre, things get Christmas-y right quick, the morning after Thanksgiving. Breakfast with Santa Claus starts at the Holiday Village Mall at 9 a.m. Santa will follow up breakfast with a photo-op for the kids from noon to 3 p.m., and will keep that photo schedule all this weekend and every weekend until the middle of December.

The Saturday morning breakfast should offer a break from the Black Friday shopping, for which the mall is opening at 3 a.m. All of the mall's stores will be opening between 3 and 6 a.m.

In Chinook, Friday is the 25th Annual Parade of Lights.

The parade starts at 6 p.m., with participants lining up at 5:30 p.m. at Meadowlark School.

The parade will go down Indiana Street, with most people usually lining up between 2nd and 3rd streets.

Preceding the parade is a "Christmas Stroll" during which local vendors can meet with people looking to get a bit of local Christmas shopping done.

Holiday activities will take place throughout the day.

Heather DePriest, who helped organize the event working for the Chinook Chamber of Commerce, said over the past-quarter-century, the Parade of Lights has become a holiday tradition.

"It's kind of become a fixture for Chinook," DePriest said. "It's a fun time."

On Saturday, Havre is holding their annual lighting festivity, the Community Tree Lighting in the Town Square on 1st Street at 5:30 p.m.

After taking pictures at the mall all afternoon, Santa will be showing up downtown for some more fun at the tree lighting, where there will be festive activities, live music and vendors peddling wares.

Havre's schedule of events is available at http://www.havremt.com.