Ephrata rings in the holidays with 'Bells on Basin' festivities
EPHRATA—Over the past week, Ephrata has seen a parade of holiday-related activities, including an actual parade Saturday evening that capped the community’s daylong, downtown “Bells on Basin” festivities sponsored by the local chamber of commerce and supporting businesses and organizations.
The day began with the “Breakfast With Santa” gathering at the Ephrata Recreation Center. Over 600 sausage-egg-and-pancake meals were served to the hungry crowd, and families could also greet Santa and Mrs. Claus to share Christmas wish lists and take part in ornament decorating.
Throughout the day, kids and families embarked on a “Polar Express Passport” journey, following a map to nearly a dozen participating businesses to get their passports stamped and enjoy various activities at the different locations. Returning the passports to the chamber office entered them into a raffle drawing for a trio of toy train sets. Winners were scheduled to be announced Monday, Dec. 15.
The chamber office also served up free hot cocoa and popcorn late Saturday afternoon to families, many of whom then lined up along Basin Street at dusk to watch dozens of brightly lit bicycles, cars, trucks, emergency vehicles, floats, and costumed pedestrians parade through the downtown corridor. All in all, a good day.
Other festivities late last week included a trip Friday to the Rustic Rooster store where Grant Elementary students mailed off letters to the North Pole, and Thursday when Columbia Basin Foundation hosted an open house for its “Festival of Trees” charitable fundraiser and chamber “Business After Hours” gathering.
