The annual Newtonberg Christmas Festival is held each December, usually on the second or third Saturday of the month. The Festival has been held annually for over 40 years, since the Widow Missus Harriet Johnson’s late husband spearheaded the campaign for it when he was on the city council.
It starts with a parade beginning at John and Joanna Swensen’s Café that makes its way through town and ends at the High School football field, where there is a carnival set up. There are games, craft booths, and plenty of other activities for the kids. Afterwards, there is a dessert auction at the Café, with the proceeds being divided between the youth groups at the three local churches. And of course, a traditional Santa’s Workshop is set up where the kids can meets Santa Claus and have their picture taken.
It’s a well-known fact among the adults in town that Mayor Al is Santa Claus, and has been since he took office over twenty years ago. Al and his wife, Miss Gladys, have always loved children. Since the Lord never blessed them with their own, they have been surrogate parents/grandparents to just about every kid in Newtonberg, and Al wouldn’t have it any other way.
This year, however, was different. It was Al and Gladys’ fiftieth anniversary. Al had finally managed to take her on the skiing holiday she’s always wanted, and they were going to be out of town for the Festival. He appointed Rick Murchison as Mayor pro tem, and the Widow Missus agreed to find a replacement Santa for the festivities.
While it was the first time for Al and Gladys to miss it, it was a real homecoming for several other people. For one thing, it would be the first time little Philip Kelly would visit the Festival. His mother, Emily, was bringing him to Newtonberg to see Santa and spend a little time with his uncle and grandmother.