Museum of Lights seeks businesses to decorate heritage buildings
By Your Southwest Media Group
KINDERSLEY – The Kindersley and District Plains Museum is asking local businesses and organizations to adopt and decorate one of its buildings for this year's Museum of Lights.
The holiday light display returns in December with one drive-through night and one walk-through night each weekend leading up to Christmas. Admission is by donation.
The museum created the event in 2019 to help cover its operating costs and bring some Christmas joy to town. This year marks the eighth annual event.
Hot off the press: The Kindersley Clarion Printing Office glows with garland, string lights and a lit reindeer during the 2021 Museum of Lights at the Kindersley and District Plains Museum. The print shop is one of several pre-lit buildings still open for a local business or organization to adopt and decorate for this year's event, which begins in December. PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
"We strive to keep admission accessible to everyone in our community through donations rather than a set fee," committee volunteer Anna Polsfut said in a Sept. 18 letter to businesses.
Walk-through nights also include hot chocolate, snacks, live music and trade shows indoors, along with a toboggan hill and sleigh rides outside.
Decorating spaces are sorted by team size. Large sites still open include the Eugene Heit Building, Frank Schmidt Building, Ladimer Novak Building, Merrington Schoolhouse and the schoolyard. Scotiabank has claimed the Brock Train Station. The Polsfut family has taken the Eaton's Catalogue House and the garden area.
Medium sites include the teacherage, church, garage, firehouse, blacksmith shop and print shop, all pre-lit, as well as two sea cans. The four sheds behind the museum must be decorated as a set, as must the three bunkhouses.
Smaller options requiring less commitment include the gazebo, the fenceline and the front, back west and back east equipment displays.
Participants claim a building and submit a sketch in September and October, then decorate in October and November.
Displays must be family friendly and fit an old-fashioned Christmas theme. The museum supplies all materials and tools, and businesses may add their own items at their own expense. The museum may fill open spaces in a display with backgrounds, characters or other scenery. Nothing can be permanently attached to a building without permission.
The museum will post signage crediting each participant.
To claim a building or get more information, contact Polsfut at 306-460-4760 or kindersleymuseum20@gmail.com.