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Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Phone: 509-242-7752
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Coordinated Care of Spokane is sponsoring Snowgusta mini golf again this year near City Hall. It is open during the month of December, and glow balls and clubs are available at City Hall.

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Deck the Halls: Holiday festivities brighten community
11/25/2014 11:40:10 AM

By Treva Lind
Splash Contributor

With the arrival of winter's frost, the Liberty Lake community offers plenty of holiday activities during December to warm up with some seasonal cheer.

The city's Winter Festival, the Friends of Pavillion Park's Holiday Ball, a theater production and other festive happenings arrive to brighten the month's shorter days.

First off, circle the calendar on Dec. 5 for free family-friendly events at the city's Winter Festival Tree Lighting Ceremony, scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at or near City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive. Activities include chestnut roasting, arts and crafts for kids, live music and tours of Santa's Workshop. 

The tree lighting is set for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Before then, kids who bring canned food for a community food drive will be entered into a drawing for a chance to light the tree. Bring cameras to take pictures with Santa from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. A professional photographer also will be available. 

Live music will be provided by the Liberty Lake Elementary School K-Kids, led by Julie Morgan, as well as the CVHS A Cappella Choir, led by Mike Elliott, said Michelle Griffin, Liberty Lake's parks and recreation coordinator. Vendor booths also will offer games and prizes for children.

"All the activities are free, and it is a great way to start off the holiday season," Griffin said.

Other city events include a hayride to see the holiday lights and Snowgusta mini golf. The nighttime mini golf course opens at the tree lighting event but will be available the remainder of December. People are encouraged to put on earmuffs, gloves and glow sticks for play. Golf balls and equipment will be available at City Hall, Griffin said.

If snow covers the ground, people can bring sleds to the Trailhead Golf Course at the south side of the driving range fence for sledding from November to February. Parents are encouraged to accompany children.

The city also offers a Santa Paws photo contest for free to the public. Bring a picture of kitty or pup in costume to City Hall before Dec. 5. Accepted photos will be on display during the tree-lighting ceremony and remain up through December. 

The community's annual canned food drive runs the entire month of December to benefit 2nd Harvest Food Bank. In addition to City Hall, other drop-off sites include the Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission, and Trailhead Golf Course, 1102 N. Liberty Lake Road.

Another activity open to residents is the city's free home decorating contest with the winner chosen by Mayor Steve Peterson. Homeowners simply need to decorate their residences for the holiday season and submit by Dec. 5 a registration form available on the city's website. All registered homes will be added to the Christmas Light Tour list, also to be posted on the city's website.


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The 17th annual Holiday Ball will include a night of dancing along with silent and live auctions. The Dec. 6 event is the primary fundraiser for Friends of Pavillion Park, the nonprofit that supports the summer concerts, movies and activities that take place in Liberty Lake's parks each summer. 

 

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Liberty Lake Community Theatre will present "Stocking Stuffers" during two weekends in December. The family-friendly show features short holiday scenes to help the audience experience Christmas like never before.

DEC. 6 HOLIDAY BALL
Always a class act, the Holiday Ball is Friends of Pavillion Park's sole fundraiser for putting on the summer festival series at the park. People are encouraged to gather groups of friends and neighbors to attend the ball as a way to support and celebrate the community. 

Tickets may still be available to attend the Dec. 6 event. Tickets, at $75 per person, can be purchased on the group's website, www.pavillionpark.org, or by mailing a check to P.O .Box 325, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. 

Held at The Davenport Hotel, this year's event begins at 5 p.m. The formal evening consists of a champagne reception with hors d'oeuvres, silent and live auctions, plated dinner and live music and dancing until midnight. Tom Sherry will serve as master of ceremonies.

Liberty Lake resident Jimi Finn and his band will perform live music after the auction. 

The silent auction will include both traditional bid items as well as larger-themed items in a raffle. Items include a trip to Mexico, a week vacation in a Maui beachfront condo, an iPad and brewery tour. 

People and businesses also can support the Holiday Ball by making a donation, becoming a table sponsor or volunteering. For more information on getting involved, contact Laura Frank, Holiday Ball Committee chair, at pavillionpark@yahoo.com or 863-8645.  To offer last-minute auction items, contact Sara Gile at sara.gile@yahoo.com.

The Davenport also offers a special room rate for attendees making reservations. Tuxedo Gallery will make a donation for customers renting a tux for the Ball. 

HOLIDAY PLAY
Families also can venture out to Liberty Lake Community Theatre to enjoy a holiday-themed play, "Stocking Stuffers." Curtain times include 7 p.m. on Dec. 11-12 and 18- 20, as well as at 2 p.m. on Dec. 13 and 20. Tickets are $12.

The play has short scenes to create a full evening of family fun. Act 1 Uncle Sam, Easter Bunny, Cupid, Ezekiel the Pilgrim and Hagatha the Witch all plotting how to steal the attention from Santa and his holiday. For more fun, two female elves discuss their future goals and test a variety of water guns straight out at the audience.

The second act offers several scenes ranging from a fast-talking Little Matchgirl selling her wares in downtown New York, to the trial of two reindeers who "ran over grandma," and a surprise appearance by Santa himself. When all scenes come together, the theatre promises an ending for audiences to experience Christmas like never before.

LUMINARIAS
The tradition of luminarias, sold as a fundraiser to line driveways, pathways and patios on Christmas Eve, has spread to Liberty Lake. 

The Liberty Lake Community Theatre has taken on this project to help fund its many events: plays, musicals, readers theater and workshops for children, said Charmaine Peterson, a fundraiser organizer. 

People can purchase the ready-to-light luminarias for $15 per dozen from the theatre, by Dec. 21 at the latest, for delivery to doorsteps before Christmas Eve. To place orders, contact Peterson at charmainepeterson@mac.com or 255-1400. Another contact is Charlotte DiCicco at 251-9150.

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