The Children's Hometown Holiday is the first full weekend in December and is filled with events and activities at no cost to anyone who attends.
WAPAKONETA, OH (WLIO) - The Children's Hometown Holiday is gearing up for another year of helping kids have a memorable holiday, but they are looking for some help.
The event could be a good way to get a jumpstart on your own Christmas shopping with the prizes you can bid on and win.
Organizers of the event say it takes around $35,000 each year to put it on. So they are holding their first-ever "Christmas in July" event next Wednesday at the Five Vine Winery just outside of Wapakoneta to help with their costs. The Children's Hometown Holiday is the first full weekend in December and is filled with events and activities at no cost to anyone who attends. But after 18 years, the costs and the number of kids continue to grow.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Stroh Johnson & Company, Casa Chic, or through the Children's Hometown Holiday's Facebook page.
"The longer the event occurs, of course, the higher the expenses go and more children attend," says Elaine Poppe, Children's Hometown Holiday. "Last year, our Santa had over 1,200 children sit on his lap. That is pretty amazing right there, and at the snowball drop, we had approximately had 1,100 children show up for the snowball drop, which is awesome too."
The Christmas in July event will be on July 24, 2024, at Five Vines Winery, located at 12179 Buckland Holden Rd, Wapakoneta, OH 45895.
The event could be a good way to get a jumpstart on your own Christmas shopping with the prizes you can bid on and win.
"The idea is that you will buy raffle tickets, you will get to bid on different prizes there will be a winner for those prizes," says Stephanie Shutt-Steinke, Children's Hometown Christmas. "So far, we have over 30 businesses that have donated different prizes for this giveaway. We have those, and we have a couple of silent auction items to raffle off as well."
The Christmas in July event will be on July 24, 2024, at Five Vines Winery, located at 12179 Buckland Holden Rd, Wapakoneta, OH 45895. The event starts at 6 p.m., and the raffle begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Stroh Johnson & Company, Casa Chic, or through the Children's Hometown Holiday's Facebook page.
