Christmas in the Park: Parade, piñatas draw crowd to Mattawa’s holiday celebration
Santa, a close friend of Jack Fox, left, and Mrs. Santa, a close friend of Dana Fox, help a kid get ready for his picture with Santa during Christmas in the Park Friday in Mattawa.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Well-bundled riders survey the crowd during the Christmas in the Park parade Friday in Mattawa.
Riders wave to the spectators during Friday’s Christmas in the Park parade in Mattawa.
An angel brings the good news on a float in the Christmas in the Park parade in Mattawa Friday.
Multiple Santas and the reindeer head back to the barn after the Christmas in the Park parade Friday in Mattawa.
A pair of vaqueros toss candy to the kids in the Christmas in the Park parade Friday in Mattawa.
Everybody wanted their picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Santa, close friends of Jack Fox and Dana Fox, including Mattawa City Council member Brian Berghout, right.
MATTAWA — Santa and Mrs. Santa were available for photos in Hund Memorial Park. Kids tried hard to break the piñata (and eventually succeeded) and the Christmas in the Park parade drew crowds to Government Road in Mattawa Friday night.
Activities at the first Christmas in the Park, sponsored by the city of Mattawa, included raffles, piñatas for breaking and information booths. The Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce partnered with city officials to sponsor a COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Santa and Mrs. Santa, close friends of Jack and Dana Fox, posed with kids and families for pictures, although there were some kids who were a little skeptical about the big guy in the red suit.
“A lot of shy kids,” Jack Fox said.
But most kids were willing to sit on his lap long enough for a photo.
Santa also took Christmas wishes. The most requested presents were skateboards, Barbie dolls and video game systems, and a lot of kids want remote control cars, Dana Fox said. But some kids had not made up their minds.
“You’d be surprised how many of these little kids don’t know what they want for Christmas,” she said.
The parade featured trucks and cars decked out in bright lights, angels, reindeer, vaqueros, and candy. After the parade, the crowds moved over to the park at 101 Government Road for the lighting of the community Christmas tree.
The piñatas were tough, and took a lot of whacks before they broke. Kids picked up the stick, the crowd sang a traditional piñata song, and kids gave it their all.
Dan Fund of Seattle-based Aristo Healthcare Services, the company administering free coronavirus vaccinations, said there were a lot of sleeves rolled up.
“We’ve been very busy,” he said.
Martin Valdez, executive director of the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the group has worked with city officials to put on multiple coronavirus vaccination clinics in Mattawa, during summer movie nights and at other events.
“We’re here to help,” Valdez said.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.
