Christmas at the End of the Road

November 28 - December 8, 2008. This time of year, when the North Cascades Highway closes, Winthrop, is nestled in the snow covered mountain foothills, literally at the end of the road. With short days and long nights, a town-wide festival is a way for folks to celebrate the season, enjoy each other, shop locally, and participate in all the uniquely old-fashioned activities in town. On the weekend after Thanksgiving, Winthrop hosts the magical holiday celebration known as "Christmas at the End of the Road". Come to Winthrop for photos with Santa, horse-drawn hay rides, storytelling, a coloring and crafts room, a nighttime balloon glow, a town lighting ceremony, spectacular fireworks, Christmas caroling and a Cowboy Christmas Show. From November 28, through December 7, everyone is invited to shop locally and to enter the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce drawing for gift certificates totaling $1,000.00. We invite you to read all about Christmas at the End of the Road on this website, under Major Events. Also, pick up a Christmas at the End of the Road brochure at the Visitor Information Center and Winthrop Chamber member businesses for details and to learn what the eateries and merchants are doing to participate in the celebration. There will be special food items free raffles, goodies, an artwalk, a wine release, a college football party, and a fireworks radio simulcast. Best Western Spirit Also, as we prepare for this holiday celebration, we will focus on three Winthrop Chamber members, who were voted by all of you as the People's Choice Winners of the May 2008 Winthrop '49er Days "Best Western Spirit" contest among the merchants. We are an old west theme town, after all! First place went to Ashford Gallery, which among other things, displayed saddles and old-fashioned spinning wheels in the front window, and captivated all passers-by with two old-time spinners and their spinning wheels out front of the gallery. Here's the low-down on the gallery: Don & Sara Ashford's ASHFORD GALLERY in Winthrop has been in its present location on the main street of Winthrop for the last five years, but they have been in town and at various locations in the Methow Valley over the last 25 years. Don is a potter and makes a variety of functional and decorative sculpture and other clay works. Sara is a fiber artist who works with natural fibers and natural dyes. Ashford Gallery carries Don and Sara's works, as well as the works of over thirty other local and regional artists. Ashford Gallery is the place in the valley to find quality yarns and knitting needles. Also, in the last four years, the Gallery has brought in high quality teas, coffees, candles, and some local food products as well. The Ashford's want their gallery to be a place where folks can find unique, local, and never - outsourced items that hopefully have more soul and, like the Methow Valley itself, are truly one of a kind.

SR 20 (North Cascades Highway) is OPEN

May 20, 2008. 3 pm. SR20, the North Cascades Highway is open. For further details on mountain pass conditions, click here or call Washington State Dept of Transportation at 511 for their automated travel service.