Mary Kay Ebeling and Barb Menghini decorate the vintage tree for the first Holiday History Celebration at the Jake Menghini Museum. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News)

Area communities are getting in the Christmas spirit with a number of upcoming celebrations planned.

IRON MOUNTAIN

— The fifth-annual Lights at the Lake at Lake Antoine Park in Iron Mountain is open for daily viewing from dusk at about 5 until 10 p.m.

The drive-thru event, hosted by the Lake Antoine Park Partners, will close on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1. Admission is free to spectators.

An open house is planned from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14. The evening gives each participant an opportunity to be present to greet attendees as they drive through. Santa will be located by pavilion 1.

— The 2025 Downtown Iron Mountain Christmas Walk takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, sponsored by First National Bank & Trust.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be ready to hear wishes from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Dickinson County Library.

Students of Bishop Baraga Catholic School will present a live nativity scene from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the downtown stage on Iron Mountain Street across from Dickinson County Library.

Everyone will gather at 5:30 p.m. outside the library to join in the festive foot parade to the First National Bank & Trust Plaza, led by Santa and Mrs. Claus. The parade will head up Iron Mountain Street and down Ludington Street to the plaza for the community tree lighting ceremony.

NORWAY

— Christmas in Norway, hosted by the Downtown Development Authority, takes place this weekend.

Mrs. Claus will light the city’s Christmas tree at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the bandshell on Main Street. The annual fireworks display from Norway Hill will follow.

The parade is set to begin about 6 p.m. on the south end of Main Street, near St. Mary Catholic Church.

After the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet children at City Hall. All kids who come to visit will receive tickets to enter into prize drawings.

Shoppers can also enjoy extended business hours from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday.

— The Jake Menghini Museum Partners will present “Christmas Eras” from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the museum in Norway.

Live actors will portray Christmas traditions of the Victorian, Mid-Century and Pioneer eras in each of the museum’s buildings, which are decorated to that specific era.

Admission is $5 for adults.

IRON RIVER

— The community is invited to Christmas at The Barn from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at The Serenity Barn in Iron River.

They welcome everyone to take a stroll through the holiday decorations, sip on a warm beverage, have dinner and soak up the holiday cheer.

Kids can stop by to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus to share their Christmas wishes.

They will also have fun photo opportunities with The Grinch and Bumble.

Several local vendors will be set up for Christmas shopping.

— Iron River will glow with holiday spirit on Saturday as the Iron County Chamber Alliance presents its 19th-annual Christmas in Lights.

A full day of activities is slated for this year’s “Jingle All The Way” celebration.

The festivities kick off from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the Christmas Tree Galleria at the Iron County Historical Museum in Caspian and the Craft and Vendor Fair at the Windsor Center in Iron River.

The community is invited to walk through the halls filled with more than 50 decorated trees, each crafted by local groups, families and schools. The museum will also have its themed basket raffles.

More than 45 crafters and vendors from across the region will offer a large variety of goods at the fair. Concessions will also be available.

— Everyone is invited to the West Iron District Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday for its Family Fun Day.

They will have ornament crafts for the kids, coloring pages and mini-stockings while supplies last.

The library will have a special holiday photo booth by Clever Duck Entertainment, sponsored by the IRECA, to enjoy as well.

The Friends of the Library will host its annual Bake Sale at the library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Friends will then conduct a Chili Feed from 4 to 6 p.m. Cost is $6 for a bowl and one refill of homemade chili, cookie and hot beverage.

Miners State Bank will offer free hot chocolate at 5:30 p.m. before to the parade.

— The Christmas parade will step off at 6 p.m. Saturday on Genesee Street. Line-up begins at 5 p.m. at the post office.

— A spaghetti fundraiser for the Iron Area Health Foundation takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ottawa Post 3134.

— The annual tree lighting takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday at Klint Stafford Memorial RV Park, with fireworks to follow by the West Iron County Fire Department and the Iron River Downtown Development Authority. They will also have free hot chocolate courtesy of the Iron County Trail Club.

FLORENCE, Wis.

— Two Christmas in Florence events will take place Saturday.

The Wild Rivers Interpretive Center & Gift Shop is hosting activities from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Three local authors who write children’s books will be available to sign their books from 10 a.m. to noon. There will also be free refreshments, door prize drawings and a variety of gifts at 20% off.

New Christmas items and Northwoods cabin gifts, puppets, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, kitchen items, books, jewelry and other novelty gifts are available in all price ranges.

Those who attend are invited to explore the many exhibits and wildlife mounts including full body mounts of an albino buck, a mother bear with cubs, wolf, coyotes, bobcats, bald eagle, birds, fish and more. The staff can also share ideas and brochures for attractions to see in Florence County and the surrounding region.

The center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday until Christmas. The center is at the corner of Highway 70 and U.S. 2 at 5628 Forestry Drive on the southwest edge of downtown Florence.

For more information go to ExploreFlorenceCounty.com or call 715-528-5377.

— The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a vendor/crafter event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Florence High School gym and cafeteria.

There will be more than 120 vendors offering a large variety of unique hand-made arts and craft items as well as other items to help attendees with Christmas shopping.

Many activities are planned for children. Children can make free Christmas craft projects with the high school TORPEDOS students. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be onsite from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wild Hawg Smoked Meats will be serving pork, chicken and hot dogs. There will be other delicious food items for sale in the cafeteria. Performances in the auditorium include the Florence High School band and all ages from The Dance Academy.

They also are accepting non-perishable items to “Fill the Cruiser” in front of the high school.

CRIVITZ, Wis.

— The Grace Lutheran Church of Crivitz, Wis., will feature a Living Nativity and Christmas tree lighting on Saturday.

They will offer walking tours every 30 minutes from 3 to 5 p.m. The tree lighting will take place at 5:30 p.m.

The church is at 716 Henriette Ave.

AURORA, Wis.

— The second-annual tree lighting ceremony, hosted by the Aurora Park & Recreation Committee, will be at 5 p.m. Sunday at the corner of County Highway N near the bridge.

Singers from the Aurora Free Church will lead attendees in song. Hot chocolate will be served at the C&R Bar immediately following the tree lighting.

A raffle drawing will also take place at the C&R. Tickets for the raffle are $5 and can be purchased at the C&R Bar, Stephenson Co-op/Aurora Feed Mill, Great North Bank and Tom & Jo’s Liquor Store. Cash prizes are $500, $300 and $200.

As a bonus this year, there will be a silent auction from 1 to 7 p.m. at C&R featuring Christmas items, gift certificates, metal and wood art and more. The Packers-Bears game will be televised at the bar.

Sponsors for 2025 are Aurora Liquors, C&R Bar, Dyer Inc., L&H Utility, Merritt Heating & Cooling, Northwoods Auto & Truck Repair, Swanson’s Tree Farm and Town & Country Sales.

All proceeds go to Aurora Park and Recreation to support community projects.

KINGSFORD

— The City of Kingsford will host its Christmas event from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Kingsford High School gold gym.

They will have hot cocoa, cookies, live music, holiday craftmaking and games.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be making an appearance.

CRYSTAL FALLS

— Get in the holiday spirit at the annual Crystal Christmas, presented by the Crystal Falls Business Association, on Saturday, Dec. 13.

The CFBA has a full day of Christmas activities planned for the community.

The Harbour House Museum will host at Christmas Craft Show with Soup and More to Go from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the United Lutheran Church in Crystal Falls.

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Crystal Falls District Library will host a variety of activities throughout the day, including local author visit, story hour, and jigsaw puzzle contest. Santa will arrive at the library to greet children from noon to 2 p.m.

Santa will be “stationed” from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Crystal Theatre for visitors.

— The “Ugly Sweater” Christmas parade steps off at 6 p.m. All participants can line up at City Hall on Fourth Street. Fireworks will follow at 6:30 p.m.

— Santa’s Letter Box will be up in the pocket park of the library through Dec. 14.

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Staff writer Marguerite Lanthier contributed.