A Beautiful Day at the 61st Christmas on Deer Creek

By Lora Delhom

Christmas on Deer Creek delivered a picture-perfect sunny December day this year — bigger in scale, yet still holding tight to the small-town charm that draws visitors from near and far. For this 61st celebration, Broad Street was arranged in a long, straight line, almost like a pocket-sized state fair. The layout improved visibility and flow and gave the festival a bright, open feel. The day kicked off with the Run, Run, ReDuck race before crowds settled in for the festivities.

This year also drew one of the strongest family turnouts yet. The children’s breakfasts — sold out last year and again this year — remained some of the most creative and joyful traditions of the weekend, with little ones spilling out of the elves-themed brunch grinning and metaphorically glitter-dusted.

Festivalgoers drifted between the parade, local shops, art vendors, and an impressive lineup of food trucks and tents. The culinary choices alone could have been a festival of their own: steak poboys from Doe’s, baskets of fries, apple-cinnamon fried pies, and salty turtle cupcakes from Cupcake Island — the sort of treats that vanish before anyone can snap a picture. Kerouac would understand.

Live music carried across Deer Creek all afternoon from two stages, including a lovely trio with Cody Ruth on Cello, Aubrey Holman on guitar, and William McGee that gathered a small, appreciative crowd after the parade. Nearby, younger attendees lined up for the mechanical bull, where operators offered slow, gentle rides for the littlest daredevils.

Most artists and children’s tents wrapped up at 5 p.m., shifting the evening’s rhythm. After dark, the crowd became mostly adults — plus a few indefatigable preschoolers whose festival stamina remains legendary. Santa was spotted strolling in his red fleece suit and matching puffy jacket, making his rounds before ending the night with a quiet stop at the Thompson House.

And as the creek shimmered and the festival lights flickered low around town — with the historical floats glowing along Deer Creek — it felt, just for a moment, like that old familiar line:
“The town had settled in for a long winter’s nap.”

A bright, easy, communal day — the kind that reminds us why this Christmas festival endures year after year, and why it has become a can’t-miss tradition for the Delta and beyond as the Christmas season begins.