Area Communities Welcome Christmastime

Kevin Surbaugh

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Lauren McCart visits with Santa during the annual
Pancakes with Breakfast

Bringing in the Christmas season is an event in every community around the country.  Baldwin City is no different. This year the Baldwin City happenings once again began with the Annual Pancakes with Santa Breakfast at the Intermediate Center.  There was a good turnout of families enjoyed the pancakes and sausages, once again provided by Chris Cakes. Each was given a number when they paid for their tickets at the entrance.  The numbers allowed them to visit Santa and get their picture taken with him, on a first come first serve basis.
While Lawerence, has their horse-drawn Christmas parade at 11 A.M., Baldwin City has a day full of activities for people of all ages.  Such events included the Santa Claus Express with runs at 9:30 A.M. and 1 P.M., an open house and bazaar at Vintage Park until 1 P.M and that is just a beginning. Other activities throughout the day included a holiday homes tour, a couple of gingerbread house making events, a day-long art show referred to as a "Holiday Art Affair," and the annual Holiday Soup Supper held at the First United Methodist Church.

Rowdie Bond; age 1, Ryder Bond; age 8,
Destiny Johnson; age 12 along with Tammy Johnson
enjoy their pancakes at their pancakes with Santa.

In the evening Baldwin City had Victorian Singers, who sang victorian age songs. Those in attendance enjoyed cookies and hot cider while listening to the singers and looking at the artwork on sale at the Lumberyard Arts Center. This year, the cider and cookie tables were moved outside, making them more accessible to everyone attending the parade, tree lighting and fireworks.
Others who were in a shopping mood could also their way across the street to the Baldwin Academy of Dance and Voice for holiday shopping.


The day-long events in Baldwin City began to wind up with the annual Festival of Lights Parade at 6 P.M., the annual tree lighting, and fireworks at 6:30 with more pictures with Santa at 6:45 P.M.

Kade Patton; age 3 and Kash Patton; age 1
along with their mom took the opportunity to make
crafts, during Pancakes with Santa

Cindy Gillman, the winner of the Baldwin City Recreation Commission Raffle took home a 50" television.


 In Eudora, they lit the Mayors Christmas Tree at 7 P.M. with several hundred residents coming downtown to welcome the holiday season.