Friendship Hall at the Montrose County Fairgrounds came alive with holiday spirit this past weekend as the annual Mrs. Claus for a Cause event brought smiles to the faces of thousands of local children. Over the course of three days—Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—the event served approximately 2,500 Montrose-area kids with gifts, activities, and festive fun.
Now in its sixth year, Mrs. Claus for a Cause has grown significantly since founder Leah Cole first began the tradition by handing out gifts from her driveway. Today, the event is a large-scale celebration supported by local businesses, volunteers, and sponsors, all coming together to make Christmas magical for the community.
“No, honestly, I had no idea it would get this big,” said Cole, who serves as Mrs. Claus each year. “And then we’re already talking about doing three full days for next year.”
Activities and Entertainment
The weekend was packed with family-friendly activities, including face painting by Total Face Painting and Magic Mountain Face Painting, balloon artistry from Tanya’s Twisted Critters, and bounce houses. Children also enjoyed creating birdseed feeders with Wonder Academy, decorating cookies with Home Depot on Saturday, and interacting with a host of costumed characters.
Cole shared her excitement about this year’s offerings: “We had the balloon artist there Tanya’s Twisted Critters and the balloon dude. And we had Total Face Painting and Magic Mountain Face Painting. And we had the bounce houses, and then we had Wonder Academy come and do birdseed feeders, which is really fun.”
The event also included a special day dedicated to children with special needs, offering them a quieter and more inclusive environment to enjoy the festivities. “The photos of the special needs day are so cool every year,” Cole said.
A Community Effort
Mrs. Claus for a Cause would not be possible without the support of the Montrose community. Local businesses and private individuals generously donated funds, supplies, and time to ensure the event’s success. This year’s top sponsors included DMEA, San Juan Vet Clinic, Blackhawk Construction, Clear Networks, FirstLight Home Care and TEI Rock Drills and many more.
“These are all people that donated at least $1,000,” Cole explained, expressing gratitude for the substantial contributions. “And then I had a lot of private people, too.”
In addition to financial support, volunteers played a vital role in running the event and making the weekend special for the children. From setting up activities to dressing as characters, community members came together to make the event a success.
As Mrs. Claus for a Cause continues to grow, Cole and her team are already planning for next year. This year’s turnout nearly met their goal of 3,000 attendees, and they expect even more participation in 2024.
“Our goal was 3,000 people, and I’m sure, you know, there were a lot of people coming through, and I’m sure we missed some as well,” Cole said. “I think it will be even bigger.”
Cole also expressed a desire to increase media coverage for the event in the future, hoping that more publicity will encourage even greater attendance. “If we can get somebody like that to come down, even on the very first day, even in the morning, you know, that would give people a whole extra day to be able to come,” she noted.
As Cole reflected on the journey of the event, she said, “It was perfect.”
Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.
