Month: November 2018

The holidays are special times anywhere a person goes, but in Castle Country they are particularly bright as Helper, a small town at the mouth of Price Canyon, begins the holiday lighting up their Main Street as the start of a two-week extravaganza.

Officially known and recognized by the state as “Christmas Town”, Helper begins its holiday season with the lighting event on Black Friday November 23 at 6 p.m.. The lights hung across the town on many historical buildings is magical. The event starts at the Rio Theater on Main Street as the crowd moves north toward City Hall.

The celebration goes on through the week after that with a Luminary Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday, November 28.

Then on Friday, December 7 and December 8 the fun really takes off as a chili dinner takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Helper Civic Auditorium. This feast takes place each evening just before the Helper Electric Light Parade. The parade was the first of its kind in Utah, starting 29 years ago, and it takes place on Main Street. Each year the parade grows larger and more impressive.

And don’t forget that the public can have breakfast with Santa at the Civic Auditorium the morning of Saturday, December 8 from 8 to 11 a.m. as well.

To cap off the parade on Saturday night, fireworks will be launched from the ballpark east of town and the show is spectacular as the lights and the pyrotechnics mix together to make a magical spectacle.

It’s all to say Merry Christmas to all who live and visit Castle Country during the holidays.

It’s hard these days to imagine the world without the music that the Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote so many years ago. So in that vein, Price City Culture Connection will do an extended program past its regular summer fare by presenting some of that music performed in a free concert by the group called Strawberry Fields on November 16.

The Culture Connection is a regular Thursday evening program that runs from April until September each year in the Peace Garden near the Utah State University Prehistoric Museum with various performers showing off their talents. It is an outdoor venue that many locals and visitors alike love.

This special extended program is being held inside at the Geary Theatre on the USU Eastern campus at 451 North 400 East at 7 p.m.

It is a kickoff to the holiday season that no one should miss.

The annual St. Anthony Carnival has delighted Castle Country residents for nearly 80 years. This year’s festivities will likely to do the same as event organizers prepare well-loved classics for the 2018 carnival.

“The carnival has been put on by the St. Anthony Parish since 1940 and it hasn’t changed much over these many years,” said Erica Kardelis of the parish. “We have a big turkey dinner to start the festivities on Thursday night, Nov. 8 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The best of Thanksgiving dinner without the shopping, cooking or cleaning up.”

The event takes place at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Helper (5 South Main Street).

Take out is available for those who wish to take the turkey dinner home with them. There will be more food and fun as the carnival continues on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 8 and 9.

“Besides food and drink, there are games for kids, treats and surprises to purchase, the big raffle and a quilt raffle, 50 games of bingo each night, a bucket raffle and our silent auction,” Kardelis said. “Doors open at 6:30 p.m.”

Saturday will feature a Mexican dinner beginning at 4 p.m. Attendees can enjoy enchiladas, rice and beans for only $10 for adults and $6 for those 12 and younger. Take out is also available on Saturday evening.

“The businesses of Carbon and Emery counties make our carnival successful and we can’t begin to thank them enough,” said Kardelis. “Most donations of goods and services become our bingo prizes. Extra special donations of greater variety, value or desire will be placed on our silent auction or bucket raffle. We invite everyone to come and play and take these wonderful donations home.”

The St. Anthony Carnival is the largest fundraiser of the year for the local parish, contributing to its financial stability.