Winter decorations are going up in downtown Whitefish this weekend, and volunteers are encouraged to show up Sunday morning to lend a helping hand.
Chris Schustrom, one of the organizers with Whitefish Shines, said that any help is welcome and appreciated for the all-volunteer project. People should dress warmly and wear gloves, he said. Volunteers should plan on meeting at 8 a.m. on Nov. 24 at the corner of Third Street and Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish.
The National Weather Service in Missoula is forecasting snow Sunday in Whitefish, mainly before 11 a.m., with accumulations of less than half an inch possible. The daytime high is expected to be near 33.
Typically, the effort concludes by about 11 a.m. Duties include fluffing up light strings, putting garlands on the strings, and helping to lift strings up to bucket truck operators who will then attack and hang them across the streets.
This year they’ll also be installing a number of 50-year-old restored, garlanded 5-foot diameter steel frame snowflakes that light up with LED bulbs.
The annual decorations will have been put up for 75 years come 2025, and Schustrom said that last year about 30 people showed up. A co-owner and chef at the Garden Wall Inn in Whitefish, Schustrom said he’s been involved for about 13 or 14 years.
“It’s been a generational thing. Many of the committee members who have been involved, have been involved since they were kids,” he said. “Their parents were involved, and the generation before them was involved, and when we got involved it was basically our generation’s turn to take over that project and continue that tradition.”
There are 47 light strings with colored lights that go up as part of the decorations, which also included upholstered red bells and small lit snowflakes that hang from strings.
“It really demonstrates the strong sense of community and community spirit that we have. And also we love to celebrate winter, Not only the holiday season, but the long winter season as well,” Schustrom said.
Anyone with questions can contact Schustrom at 406-260-1198.