Tree Lighting, Holiday 5K Highlight Weekend Events in Chelsea, Dexter

Bundle up the kids and head outdoors for a weekend full of shopping, caroling, visits with Santa, and plenty of holiday cheer in Dexter and Chelsea. Here's a review of some weekend events in the area:

Friday

• Hometown Holiday

Hometown Holiday takes place the first weekend of December each year. It is a fun filled weekend celebration which marks the beginning of the holiday season. Ushering in the festivities will be a tree lighting ceremony and visits with Santa, plus lots of other holiday activities and entertainment at our many great merchants and historic locations in Chelsea. To view a complete schedule of events, visit http://chelseafestivals.com/.

Saturday

• Dexter Holiday Craft Bazaar

 The Dexter Heritage Guild's craxt bazaar will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Dexter Area Historical Society Museum, 3443 Inverness St. A selection of crafts, toys, baked goods, and handmade items will be available.

• Dexter Girl Scout Craft Bazaar

The Dexter Girl Scouts annual holiday bazaar will take place on Saturday at St. Andrew's United Church of Christ as part of the "Home for the Holidays" winter festival in Dexter. The bazaar will feature handmade crafts and baked goods inside the church's Fellowship Hall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Dexter Senior Center will also hold a craft bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Home for the Holiday Festival

Visit with Santa at the gazebo in Monument Park in downtown Dexter from 1 to 4 p.m. Visitors can also tour Gordon Hall for the Dexter Area Historical Society's "Christmas at the Mansion" fundraiser, or run through town as part of the Holiday Hustle 5K. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.dexterholiday.com.

• Free Breakfast with Santa

8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Chelsea Comfort Inn. Sit with Santa and enjoy a pancake breakfast with other goodies. Sponsored by Lake Trust Credit Union.

• Children’s Christmas Bazaar

The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Chelsea First United Methodist Church. Register at www.signupgenius.com/go/201268. For pre-K to 5th graders, kids can shop for the holidays from the hundreds of affordable handmade and locally made items available, all for under $5.

• Christmas on the Waterloo Farm

The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. This annual recreation of the holiday’s traditions includes tours of the 10-room farmhouse, the authentic log house, eight outbuildings, and the one room Dewey School. New this year is a traditional Christmas program at Dewey School.

Hand-crafted greens, homemade baked goods, and gift items will be available for purchase. Free refreshments and live music will be among the offerings for this homespun weekend. For more information, visit www.chelseafestivals.com. The farm is located at 21385 Waterloo Road.

• Annual Chelsea Light Parade

The parade starts at 6 p.m. Saturday along Main Street. The parade includes dozens of lighted floats and vehicles, marching bands, and Santa. The parade starts at Chelsea State Bank’s south-end lot and ends at the Chelsea Teddy Bear Company for the free community afterglow party with refreshments.

• Bear Cub Run

The Chelsea Teddy Bear Company's Bear Cub Run takes place at 7:30 p.m. Share in the excitement as several local children are selected to run through the Chelsea Teddy Bear warehouse and grab as many bears as they can carry. The bears are then donated.