Manzanita Connections - Dec. 2, 2025
Are you ready for the holidays?! Read on for holiday happenings over the next two weeks.
Ready or not, the holidays are in full swing! The famous Nehalem Christmas fish are up! Manzanita has snowflakes! And Wheeler has its vintage light decorations strung. Santa Claus is coming to town, the shops are adorned, and restaurants are getting in the spirit. We have bazaars, a holiday play, concerts, train rides (and cookies!) to look forward to.
Today is also Giving Tuesday. There are nearly 130 nonprofit organizations in our county that serve a variety of needs - with a number of those making a difference in Manzanita, Nehalem, and Wheeler. The Tillamook County Giving Guide just arrived in mailboxes and is available online. If you are able, consider making a year end donation to one that matters to you.
Here’s a short roundup of what’s happening the first half of December in the Nehalem Bay area.
Santa sightings
Kick off the season with this fun small-town tradition. The Manzanita Annual Tree Lighting is Friday, Dec. 5 from 4 – 6 pm behind the new City Hall. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive on the Nehalem Bay Fire and Rescue Big Rig, and the Neahkahnie Choir will sing songs of the season.
Get your tickets for the Candy Cane Express! I admit that I’ve never ridden the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, but it looks like fun, especially if you have little ones visiting. You can even rent a car or the entire train for a private event on the off days. A ride on the Candy Cane Express includes a visit from Santa himself, cocoa and cookies, and caroling. This one-hour round-trip excursion departs Garibaldi and turns around at Rockaway Beach. Get your tickets for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (and Dec. 22 & 23) this month.
A play, a concert, and a movie night
Riverbend Players’ holiday production
Do you have your ticket to see the Riverbend Players’ production of The Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon? This hilarious spoof of the classic holiday TV movie formula is directed by our very own Frank Squillo, owner of Wanda’s Cafe. The play follows six predictable, intertwined love stories filled with small-town charm, romantic misunderstandings, and holiday magic. Sounds like Hallmark IRL.
It’s fun to know that there are five local kids in this year’s holiday production. Making their debuts with Riverbend Players are: Jasper Dante, a 7th grade basketball player from Nehalem; Axel Whitfield, a third grader who was born in Costa Rica and now lives in Wheeler; Camille Stacey, a 6th grader who has lived in Tillamook County since she was 3 years old; and Bailee Christin, a 7th grader from Bay City. Also in the play is Colbie Conner, a Neah-kah-nie Middle Schooler from Manzanita who was also in last year’s holiday production.
Advent concert: Reminder – Deb Montgomery is performing at her fourth annual Advent Concert at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church at 4 pm on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Holiday movie night is Dec. 18 at the NCRD Performing Arts Center.
Holiday bazaars - Saturday, December 6
Shop the annual Nehalem Bay United Methodist Church Christmas Bazaar on Dec. 6 from 10 am – 4 pm. There will be lots of handmade items, baked goods, and a silent auction, as well as their traditional Clam Chowder Lunch + pie.
Head over to White Clover Grange Holiday Bazaar (36585 Hwy 53, about 2 miles east of Hwy 101) between 11 am and 3 pm for some holiday shopping. Many local vendors will be there, along with a variety of homemade and craft items for sale, as well as Christmas trees and wreaths available outside.
More to do
There’s a community sing-a-long at the Pine Grove Community House on Dec. 8 from 2 pm – 4 pm. This is a Conscious Aging and Community Connections event. Gather around the piano with others in the community to sing holiday and old favorite songs, share refreshments, and socialize. Participants are encouraged to bring cookies to share along with a $5 donation to support the Pine Grove Community House.
Speaking of cookies, the Lower Nehalem Community Trust is calling all volunteers, past, present, and future, to join in a cookie exchange on Saturday, Dec. 13 at Alder Creek Farm. Bring some cookies to share, a copy of your recipe, your appetite, and a container to take home a selection of cookies.
If wine is more your thing, the Graceful Waves Wellness Center is hosting its next “Women, Wine & Wellness” event on Friday, Dec. 12 at 3 pm. Speakers include these local women: Dr. Dawn Sea Kahrs, executive director of Grateful Waves Wellness Center; Laura Warf, posture specialist; Christine Saul, owner of Ritual Earth Botanicals; and crystal diva Maggie Blanke, co-owner of Dragonfly Crystals. Reserve your ticket here.
Spend a Saturday evening at Cloud & Leaf Bookstore sipping wine and listening to true crime memoirist Jamie Mustard read from his book “Child X.” Mark your calendar for Dec. 13 at 5:30 pm.
Other in-case-you-didn’t-know items
Rice and Shine in Wheeler is closing. The last day for a buddha bowl is Dec. 12.
The Salmonberry is now doing to-go orders! Open Friday thru Monday 4 – 8 pm.
Steeplejack has its sign up and looking good with a May 2026 opening date.
Be forewarned pizza lovers! Fornax Pizza in Garibaldi is closed for winter break from Dec. 23 to January 29. Follow Jackie on Instagram so you don’t miss out on any of her special desserts, bagels, and other surprises.
Wanda’s “Scone of the Month,” more dessert than breakfast? I won’t tell.
Whirl into Wheeler Whirl for a Whirling Snowball. You know you want to.
Until next time …
The Dec. 14 edition will have more info on events for the rest of the year. Stay tuned for winter solstice events at Cloud & Leaf, the Hoffman Center, free family events at the Manzanita Visitors Center, Santa photos for your four-legged family members, and more.
In the meantime, if you know of an event or have other holiday-season news to share, please send me a note.
How can I meet you?