Cool Creek Park, 2000-1 151st St., Westfield, will host its annual Holly Jolly Jamboree from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 14. Residents were invited to come be merry with the Hamilton County Parks & Recreation staff as they welcomed Mrs. Claus and the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus.
“Santa will arrive about 2 p.m. and we start pictures almost immediately.”” said Amanda Smith, Cool Creek Park superintendent of natural resources and education. “It’s the Clauses, Mrs. Claus is with him. As a parent I appreciate her being there for some that are too shy to go and talk with Santa.”
Smith said the staff snaps the pictures for free and posts them of Facebook for parents to download.
“Parents also are encouraged to take their own photos or our staff can take photos with their cameras,” she said.
From 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Jingle John of Silly Safaris will be presenting his animals of the North Pole program which will include several animals that like the cold weather, including a live reindeer.
“It’s very cool and attracts a lot of attention,” Smith said. “They really encourage taking pictures with the reindeer at the end.”
Crafts and refreshments will be available for guests. Cool Creek Park Nature Center’s Snowy Slumber also will be available for families to explore the beauty and peacefulness of winter. The exhibit includes the wonder of snowflakes, owls living in the snow-filled woods, and how to identify animal tracks in freshly fallen snow.
“It’s all nature-based,” Smith said.
Smith said the event is pretty informal and has an open house feel.
“There are two main things to do, the program and Santa,” she said. “It’s an event that has changed a little over the years. We’ve kept the fun portions of it.”