The Loop Newspaper - Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide

The City of Tehachapi is happy to announce our second annual "Tehachapi Hometown Christmas" event on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 1-5 p.m. in downtown.

The Rotary Club kicks off the day with Breakfast with Santa, the Historic Train Depot hosts photos with Santa along with a bake sale, the Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual Christmas Parade on F Street, which is followed by the Christmas Tree lighting at the Depot.

We will close Green Street between Tehachapi Blvd. and F Street and host a Christmas-themed market. There will be ornament making, kids games, carolers, musicians, Ugly Christmas Sweater contest, a reading of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" narrated by Alex Zonn and a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus.

We are inviting local businesses to offer specials, discounts, sales and encourage people to shop local and at our small businesses. We are inviting local eateries to offer specials and to create a Christmas Parade to-go family meal. We are also inviting local nonprofits to come out and set up a booth for their holiday programs.

Children will be able to write letters to Santa, take part in a Christmas coloring station, free ornament making, free hot cocoa, hand-painted Christmas goods, a Christmas-themed selfie area, live nativity scene, canned food drive, craft booths, musicians and more to come!

Look for the updated schedule at the City of Tehachapi's Facebook page. More information will be added before the event, so be sure to check online to see what else is happening on Dec. 2.

Events and offers from local businesses are subject to change. Thank you to our media sponsor The Loop newspaper and facilities sponsor Waste Management Tehachapi.

TEHACHAPI'S HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS IN CENTENNIAL PLAZA

1 to 1:30 p.m. – Welcome and Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition (separate contest groups of kids and adults)

1 to 5 p.m. – Chicago Title: Letters for Santa Workshop.

1 to 5 p.m. – LDS Live Nativity, free coloring pages for kids.

1 to 5 p.m. – Tehachapi Vineyard Church to hand out free hot cocoa and light-up toys.

1:30 to 2 p.m. – Adventist Health Singers.

2 to 3 p.m. – Aerial Garden Performance: showcasing acrobatic acts, such as Aerial hoop, aerial hammock, silks and trapeze.

3 to 4 p.m. – Live music by Daniel Hauck with Tehachapi Nazarene Church.

4:15 p.m. – "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" read by Alex Zonn.

4:30 p.m. – Take a selfie with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

5:30 p.m. – Tehachapi Christmas Parade (on F St.)

6 p.m. – Christmas Tree Lighting at the Depot Museum, following the parade.

Local vendors and downtown businesses will have gift items for sale, discounts, games and treats during the Hometown Christmas event:

Tehachapi Mountain Democratic Club: Candy Cane Reindeer craft.

Rotary Club: Coloring pages, face painting by high school students, free items.

Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District: Rock-painting crafts; one rock to take home and one rock for TVHD's Community Garden.

Kern County Firefighters, Local 1301: Christmas sheets for sale and KCFD items to giveaway.

Tehachapi Mountain Dog Fanciers: Shopping bag crafts, collecting donations for KCSO K9 unit to help purchase protective gear.

The Semerenko Team: Popcorn boxes kid crafts, free popcorn and face painting.

Knights of Columbus: Free cookies, collecting food and monetary donations.

Tehachapi Gryphons Football Club: 50/50 drawing, juggling contest, collecting donations to support the team.

The Smith & Silva Group and Realtor Lindsay V.: games for kids, fake money given as prizes for kids to "purchase" gifts at their booth.

Kiwanis Tehachapi: Informational booth, raffle and items for kids.

Kern County Animal Services: Informational booth with candy and stickers for children.

Juliette's Jewelry & Co: Selling gold-plated women's jewelry and permanent jewelry.

Tehachapi High School PTSO: Warriors gear for sale, light-up toys and collecting donations for PTSO.

Tehachapi High School Art Club: Selling items made by Art Club students; small block prints, ceramic necklaces and small canvases.

Girl Scouts of Central CA South, Troop 8014 and 8219: games geared for kids ages 10 and older.

Seventh-Day Adventist Church: free coloring pages, Christmas book giveaways for the first 100 visitors and a drawing for gifts.

Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce: Selling digital gift cards for local businesses.

Tehachapi Police Department/City of Tehachapi: Home base for Hometown Christmas Bingo Card, special ornament prize for Bingo Card completion and lost-and-found/public safety services.

City Council Crafts: Handmade ornament craft with city council members for kids to keep.

Salvation Army: Bell Ringers out collecting donations, offering gifts and candy for donations.

St. Malachy's Roman Catholic Church: Free coloring pages, snowflake crafts and candy canes.

Catholic Daughters Court St. Malachy #2360: Christmas ornaments and decorations for sale.

Material Matters Quilting Shop: Promote quilting fabric and supplies for sale and a drawing for free gift.

Piute Mountain Soap Company: Selling homemade tallow soap, balm and other products.

KingBee Apiary: Selling local honey.

Marby Ellis: Selling home decor, outdoor signs, holiday garlands, vinyl car decals, coffee mugs and TV tray decor.

Moessner Farms: Pastries, jams and jellies, all for purchase.

Dawn Jones Designs: Selling handmade jewelry, metal and canvas photography prints. Will offer a wide variety of jewelry for all tastes and budgets.

Betty Baldwin: Selling hand-painted wood crafts, hand-sewn items and Christmas ornaments.

Tehachapi Mountain Quilters: Raffle for quilts, homemade items for sale, as well as items available for children to purchase as Christmas gifts.

SewJo Custom Embroidery: Selling custom embroidered hats, beanies, towels and apparel; featuring many Christmas and Tehachapi-themed items.

Happy Creations by CM: Selling t-shirts, tumblers and custom home decor.

PARTICIPATING BRICK-AND-MORTAR BUSINESSES:

Tehachapi Flower Shop, 107 S. Green St.: "Grab a cookie and a Christmas arrangement in a Christmas keepsake container! Buy a Christmas arrangement for full price day of and bring your container back BEFORE Christmas for a flower refresh for half-off the original price of arrangement (tax and delivery not included in price)."

Train Depot Museum, 101 W. Tehachapi Blvd.: Open as a warming station, offering baked goods. This is also the location for the 6 p.m. Christmas Tree Lighting.

Funky Junk by Go2Girlz, 108 W. Tehachapi Blvd.: Free comic books for teenagers from 1 to 5 p.m., free holiday soda tastings and candy canes (while supplies last) and extended hours on Dec. 2.

Auntie Em's Antiques, 225 W. Tehachapi Blvd.: Offering 10% off storewide and free goodie bags for the first 100 shoppers.

Tehachapi Arts Center, 116 E. Tehachapi Blvd .: Free cookies, hot cocoa and coffee. Free kids wooden ornament coloring.

Tehachapi Heritage League, 311 S. Green St.: "You'll get a warm welcome to a 1930s Christmas at the Errea House! There will be hot spiced cider, cookies and gingerbread to enjoy as we gather around the player piano singing Christmas songs.

The Tehachapi Museum will also be open with restroom facilities. The museum store will have delightful gifts for sale including local jams, coffee, BBQ sauce, books by local authors, children's crafts and toys, antiques and old-fashioned candy. Tickets for the annual Christmas Raffle include paintings by Judith Campanaro and a handmade afghan will be available."

American Legion Post 221, 125 E. F St.: Warming station and free coffee.

The Well Music and Arts Foundation, 206 E. F St., Ste. F: Christmas Caroling Camp – Dec. 2, noon to 5 p.m. at the Well Music and Arts Foundation. A free day camp for kids to learn caroling principles, put them into practice in the community and have fun together! Free with preregistration. Call (661) 300-6863 for more details.

Kelcy's Restaurant, 110 W. Tehachapi Blvd.: "Hometown Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Specials. Free hot chocolates or spiced ciders to-go, family four-pack cheeseburgers and chips to-go for $39.99. Have a warm meal while you watch the parade. Call ahead to schedule pickup at (661) 822-4207."

Sheridan's, 114 W. Tehachapi Blvd.: "Specially-priced gifts that kids can buy – charms, geodes, mood rings, magnets and more. Kids can have the fun of choosing a small gift to give while spending just $3 to $5."

Tehachapi Friends of the Library, 212 S. Green St.: Tree ornament crafts for kids and adults from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Book Market from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

St. Malachy's Roman Catholic Church, 407 W. E St.: Tamale sale fundraiser on-site.

TVAA/Gallery N' Gifts, 100 W. Tehachapi Blvd.: Open as warming station, free raffles, hot chocolate and cookies.

Stray Leaves Tasting Room, 123 S. Green St.: Open earlier extended hours, public restrooms located in back parking lot.