GREAT FALLS — This year’s Candy Cane Lane takes place on December 16 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Jaycee Park (225 23rd Avenue NE).
When Nikki Davalos moved to the Great Falls area in the early 2010s, she and her husband were looking for Christmas events to take their kids to. That is when they decided to start their own tradition, handing out hot chocolate to passersby and looking at all the festive lights on people’s houses. In 2015, it became Candy Cane Lane, which has continued to grow year after year.
“Basically, our goal is to bring the community together, but then also provide a family tradition,” Davalos, Cofounder of Candy Cane Lane said, “So a way for people to go around town and see all of the hard work our community does for Christmas and then just actually feel that Christmas spirit.”
The free event starts at Jaycee Park, where you can get hot chocolate, see Santa, the Grinch, and other holiday characters, and visit a Christmas boutique. If that is not festive enough, you will also receive a map that will guide you to the most festive houses in town. If you want your house included in this year’s Candy Cane Lane, you are not out of luck.
“If there are houses that want to be on the map, you'll just go on the virtual map still,” Davalos said, “So I have a virtual link in order to get the virtual link the day of use to come get the map from us.”
The map is never released before the event, which is not due to lack of planning. Davalos wants the focus to be on the community connections that come from an event like this, which is why the only way to get the map on time is to arrive at the park during the event.
“It’s a Christmas feeling that you can only get by actually going,” Davalos said, “And so after that, we do open it up after that. And that's why we try to do it earlier, like it's in the middle of the month every time we do it. Just because we want you to have that time to get it if you weren't able to come.”
Davalos looks forward to the event every year, as it is a constant reminder of what the holidays is truly about.
“Whenever I come out, like even if I'm like, ‘Oh, the year has been hectic or crazy or I'm not ready for Christmas and then shopping,’” Davalos said, “This event always is like, ‘Oh yeah, like this is what Christmas is.”
While it is a free event, donations can be given to the Candy Cane Lane Non-profit, where the board members go back into the community to spread cheer throughout the year.
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