In the twentieth year of Oelwein’s Olde Tyme Christmas event, hosts are the Oelwein Chamber & Area Development (OCAD) and The Oelwein Daily Register. The event is being sponsored by local businesses and is successful due to the support of all the business sponsorships, participation in activities, volunteers working and the attendees.
The event will be full of activities, with old favorites and a few new activities included. This year’s theme is “20 Years of Holiday Memories.” Parade entries and business windows can be decorated in this theme if they choose or can be decorated in the traditional Christmas spirit. All of the activities will be located in downtown Oelwein. All activities will be held from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., except for the Craft Show Marketplace, which begins at 2 p.m. Due to all of the new businesses filling up the downtown spaces, some of the scheduled activities will have new locations.
The Craft Show Marketplace is back this year and will be held from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. in the lower level of the 1 W. Complex (former bank building) on the corner of Frederick and Charles. There is an elevator available to the lower level. The vendor show will be filled with many great handmade items, home business items, baked goods and more. Make sure to stop down to see all of the goodies! A Welcome Table will be located in the first level hallway to hand out event maps and help direct you to the vendor show and other activities.
This year, Christmas Bingo will be located in the former Valone’s restaurant at 2 S. Frederick. There is no fee to play and Oelwein Dollars will be given as prizes for each game played. Come in, get warm and stay a while, or stop by for one quick game!
Santa will be located at Serbro, 9 S. Frederick, and will personally be talking to each child this year. Please be patient in line as you are waiting for your turn. He will be very busy! Santa treats for each child will also be handed out after they have their visit with the big man in the red suit. You will also be able to see Santa at the finale in the lighted parade and hear his jolly voice echoing through downtown on the magical night that has been created for Oelwein’s Olde Tyme Christmas!
Mrs. Claus will be back in her original location this year at Buds ‘n Blossoms at 125 S. Frederick. She will be reading Christmas stories to the children! You can stop in and sip on some hot cider while the children (and the adults) enjoy the stories.
Letters to Santa will also be able to be sent directly to Santa via the mailbox located outside of the OCAD office. Santa is sure to reply to all the letters dropped off prior to Dec. 17. The mailbox will be moved into the OCAD entryway after the Olde Tyme Christmas event to allow more time for letters to get to the North Pole.
While you are walking around downtown Oelwein, be sure to peek in the OCAD office window to see the large Christmas Village Display. This display will delight the young and the old. This beautiful collection is from Vonna Schmitz, mother of OCAD Director Deb Howard. This display will remain in the window during the entire Christmas season.
Bring your cameras to Olde Tyme Christmas! There will be plenty of photo opportunities at this year’s event. Seven different photo opportunities will be located in various locations. Photo Op #1 will be located in Plaza Park, which will be the large Santa statue that was originally a prop from the soap opera “As the World Turns.” He will also be standing at the decorated stage. Photo Op #2 will also be at Plaza Park with an old truck beside the large decorated evergreen tree. Room enough for small or larger family groups!
Photo Op #3 will be located inside the Grand Theatre at 26 S. Frederick and will feature Anna, Elsa and Olaf. Stop in and warm up with the familiar characters from the movie “Frozen.” Photo Op #4 will be inside the theatre, as well, as you can have your picture taken with the tall and ever-so happy “Elf.” Photo Op #5 will be located inside Midwest Collision at 126 S. Frederick. These characters are a new addition to the photo ops this year and will delight everyone who sees them. You won’t want to miss them.
Photo Op #6 will be Alvin & the Chipmunks, located outside the OCAD office at 6 S. Frederick. Enjoy Christmas music sung by Alvin and his pals while you get your pictures taken! Photo Op #7 will be at Lion’s Park at 17 S. Frederick, where you can meet up with a snowman and polar bear. All photo opportunities will give you great pictures and memories that will last a lifetime.
Community Carolers will be singing at the pass-through on South Frederick, next to Flowers on Main, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The group will sing all your favorite Christmas carols! Listen to the joyful sounds or sing along. In the same location, the Oelwein High School choir will be performing two Mini Christmas Concerts. The OHS choir will perform at 7 p.m and again at 7:30 p.m. The performances will delight the crowd with their fabulous talent and pitch-perfect sounds of Christmas. Dressed in period costume, they will delight the Olde Tyme Christmas attendees. Also, be sure to listen, as the Christmas Bell Music from Christ United Presbyterian Church will be ringing during the entire evening.
An activity for children will be the Christmas Spinning Wheel. Stop into Tindell Shoes to spin the wheel and win a prize. Every child will receive a prize! Reindeer games was a new added activity for children last year and will return this year and will be located in the 10 block of East Charles.
New games have been added to this area for this year! Christmas Cookies will be available at Market 25 at 25 East Charles. Decorate the cookies at the location next door or get a grab-n-go kit at either location and decorate the cookie at home. Both options will be available!
The Crowning of Oelwein’s Grinch occurs each year at Olde Tyme Christmas. Voting for the 2022 Grinch will be by cash donations. $1 = one vote. All proceeds will be donated to the Oelwein Kitchen Cupboard. The donations/votes can be dropped off or mailed to the Oelwein Kitchen Cupboard or OCAD office or given to your favorite Grinch candidate at their specified location.
The Oelwein Kitchen Cupboard is open Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m. – noon and Friday afternoon from 1 p.m. — 4 p.m. located at 31 First Ave. N.E. The OCAD office is located at 6 South Frederick and is open 9 a.m. — 4 p.m. Monday – Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. -1 p.m. No food items will be accepted again this year.
Campaigns by the candidates take place until noon on Thursday, Dec. 1. The candidate with the most votes wins the coveted title of Oelwein’s Grinch! The crowning will take place on the stage in Plaza Park at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2. The Grinch winner will also ride in the lighted parade that will begin at 8 p.m. This year’s candidates are Jerry Bostian, Fareway; Sue Crandall; Missy Kane, Transco; Diana Stewart, Dollar Fresh; and Steve Milder, West Central Schools. Please vote for your favorite Grinch and help fill the shelves at the Kitchen Cupboard.
The Christmas Tree Walk is returning in the same fashion as previous years with trees located in business windows and can be seen from the sidewalk. An array of trees will be completed by local businesses, individuals and organizations, all beautifully and creatively decorated. Vote for your favorite tree by stopping at the OCAD office entryway! Someone will be located there to help you with your vote. Prizes will be awarded for the first, second and third place trees, and winners will be announced the week after Olde Tyme Christmas once votes are tallied.
Stop by the Warming Stop at 15 East Charles to have a cup of free hot chocolate, listen to Christmas music by Chet Reagan and get warmed up before heading out to more activities. This is a new location for this activity this year.
Back by popular demand, the Oelwein Fire Department will host the marshmallow roast located in the Plaza Park. Come join the firemen for a sweet treat and warm up by the fire. Roasting will take place from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Once again, horse-drawn wagon rides will be available for a ride through downtown. Rides begin at Margaret’s Crafts and travel down Main Street and around the block. This year, we will have two large wagons and teams of horses that will hold many people at a time to enjoy a ride together.
Also available will be pony cart rides for children. Children can enjoy a short ride starting at the corner of the 100 block of S. Frederick and will make a loop down South Frederick and back to the start. The clip-clop of the horse hooves always adds to the charm of the magical evening!
While riding through downtown by horse and wagon or strolling with your family and friends, you will spot a few outdoor vendors selling lighted toys and food. A delicious lasagna Christmas supper at the American Legion at 108 First St. S.W will also be available. Serving begins at 4 p.m. and lasts until 6:30 p.m. or until the food is gone. Don’t forget about all of the great restaurants that Oelwein has to offer that will add to your dining options. Come for the fun and dine, too!
The Lighted Parade will take place at 8 p.m. The parade will have many lighted entries and will begin at Advanced Automotive on North Frederick and head south to Strang’s Tire where it will end on Second Street SW. Businesses, organizations and individuals are encouraged to enter into the parade with floats, vehicles, etc. Entries should have lights included, if possible, and can be registered by calling OCAD at 283-1105.
Fireworks are coming back again this year immediately following the parade! Fireworks can be viewed by looking to the south of the downtown area. Suggested viewing areas include Plaza Park, the south parking lot behind Flowers on Main, streets around Buds ‘n Blossoms and other open areas of downtown. For parade attendees, walking to the west from Frederick should get you to an area to be able to view the air display, as there will be no ground displays.
While downtown, several businesses will be open for Christmas shopping. Stop in to the beautifully decorated stores to browse the merchandise.
You won’t want to miss a thing at the 2022 Olde Tyme Christmas in downtown Oelwein.
