Submitted by Cheryl Kinderknecht
ELLIS — The city of Ellis will play host to several holiday-themed activities on Saturday.
The morning kicks off with the Follow the Star Craft and Goodies Fair. There will be many local and handmade items for sale to fill your Christmas list. There are 30 booths to shop and the Ellis Chamber of Commerce will have lunch available. Admission to the fair is a non-perishable good or monetary donation to the Ellis Food Pantry.
Next is the Ellis Recreation Commission hosting the annual Free Candy Cane Hunt. Santa Claus will arrive at 6pm on the miniature train to the Twilight baseball field behind the Ellis Public Library. There will be thousands of holiday treats spread out for the youngsters to find. Please be early because once Santa says “Go” the treats are collected in less than five minutes.
The Ellis Polar Express then starts up around 6:15pm. Loading will be through the depot which is decorated inside and out. Also in the Depot the Cancer Council of Ellis County will have Christmas bows available to honor cancer survivors or as a memorial. The bows will be placed on the fence around Memorial Park in downtown Ellis during the holiday season. One hundred percent of all bow sponsorship goes directly to the Cancer Council of Ellis County. This is the seventh year for the Ellis Polar Express and each year the committee adds new features.
New aspects for 2016 will be an Ellis Public Library Storybook Walk of the Polar Express book and the availability of a 3D Character Experience for $5 or the regular ride for only $3. After the viewing of thousands of lights stop off and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus in the back of the library. The elves and Mrs. Claus (The EHS FACS class) have been busy baking over 700 cookies which are there to enjoy with cocoa and hot apple cider. All proceeds from the Ellis Polar Express benefit children’s events and organizations in Ellis throughout the following year.
Sponsors of the Ellis Polar Express are the Ellis Chamber of Commerce, Ellis Recreation Commission, and the Ellis Public Library.