Dufur's Hometown Christmas

Dufur came together for its Tractor Parade on Saturday, Dec. 11th, in a celebration that is uniquely all its own.

Photos and Story by Morgan Olson

Celebrating events and holidays is a rather universal tradition.

But there are a significant number of individuals who are, as a general rule, singularly unique in how they do it. 

This Christmas season is no different as, on December 11th, members of the small town of Dufur invested their time and spirit into its usual Hometown Christmas celebration and annual Tractor Parade. 

Started 13 years ago by John Dillon, owner of Kramer’s Market, and upheld and led by Stan Ashbrook, this event was created in the hopes of providing a way to uplift spirits.  It’s a “Fun community event to kick off Christmas,” said Ashbrook.

And because, at the end of the day, what does a farmer always have a surplus of? 

That’s right. Tractors. 

Unfortunately, the town was forced to skip last year’s festivities due to the COVID pandemic, though that hasn’t stopped them from celebrating in full this year. Sponsored by the Dufur Historical Society as well as Kramer’s, this event has never ceased to unite this tight-knit community of people together in a way others can’t claim. 

The 2018 second-place winners of the Tractor Parade and owners of WE3 Coffee and Deli, Nan Stephenson and Steve Hunt had this to say. 

“It brings people together because [they] can be spread out. It brings them close as an event.”

And it can get a bit competitive. 

So, to ensure a fair win for the parade, the “Judges are picked by out-of-town people to be impartial to [any] local favorite,” they said.

Judges are chosen from the selection of guests who happen to be staying at the Balch Hotel and are willing to indulge in our local activities.

On top of that, the first, second, and third place winners all receive cash prizes provided by John Dillon as well as small tractor trophies. In addition, the winners get their names placed on a larger trophy located at Kramer’s, right next to all the former winners.

However, it’s not only the parade itself that serves to provide us with plenty of opportunities for laughter and fun but other events as well. 

Customers Christina Dudley and Vickie Connolly enjoy coffee at WE3 while observing Santa listen to all the wishes of the kids.

Mr. and Mrs. Clause visit from the North Pole so they can visit all the children. 

For the people that attended, they found just as much delight in visiting Santa and Mrs. Clause, both at WE3 and then later at Kramer’s. They could also find some free cocoa and cookies at the former or go face painting at the latter. 

Or, if that wasn’t something they wanted, kids could send their written letters to Santa via a special mailbox provided by the local museum, and then afterward, the adults could go to the bizarre to see what wares the locals happened to be selling down at the Parish Hall.

There was also music and dinner at the Balch Hotel you could attend, should you wish and given you had a reservation. 

Locals enjoy the bazaare. From left to right, Becky Boles, Maddie Dollarhide, and Tora Timinsky. As Ms. Boles says, “Come buy some Christmas trees, we have too many.” 

In short, it wasn’t just the local people that celebrated in the event, but it also provided the local businesses with ways to help and participate. More than ever though, everyone created a time in which the locals could let go and enjoy themselves for this holiday season. 

This story is sponsored by :

The Dalles Iron Works

Welding, Machining & Fabrication Since 1905 at 720 E. 2nd St., The Dalles.

Jon Keyser and his crew can solve your problems big or small, ranging from the manufacture of ornate iron gates to repairing heavy equipment. His team includes wife Holly and son Jon Jr. who have spent years dedicating themselves to community good, most notably on the Dufur Volunteer Fire & Ambulance.