Santa Claus will be making his list and checking it twice early this year as he’s scheduled to attend Santa Camp on Nov. 22 at The Cardiff Center at Fort Frenzy in Fort Dodge.
The inaugural holiday event will give children and families a chance to decorate cookies, make hot cocoa, and have professional photos taken with Jolly Ol’ St. Nick.
“Santa Camp is special because of the level of interaction families have with Santa,” said Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association Executive Director Shelly Bottorff. “This isn’t just about getting that traditional photo — though you’ll definitely get that, too. What sets our event apart is that kids actually get to spend time with Santa by decorating cookies, singing Christmas carols, and just being kids. It’s all about creating fun, lasting memories that families will treasure for years to come.”
Santa Camp is the newest fundraiser for Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association, which hosts a variety of family-friendly events throughout the year. Santa Camp is just $25 per family.
“The Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association is always looking for new and unique ways to bring the community together through creativity, and Santa Camp is a perfect example of that,” said Bottorff. “The funds raised from this event will help support our Youth Advisory Council as they wrap up their latest project: the installation of Free LIttle Art Galleries across the community. These galleries work much like Free Little Libraries, but instead of books, they hold small pieces of art and craft supplies that can be swapped out by other creative individuals.”
Families wanting to meet with Santa must register ahead of time for Santa Camp by emailing FDFineArts@gmail.com as there are limited spots available on St. Nick’s knee.
Fort Dodge Fine Arts is also bringing back holiday favorite fundraiser, Poorly Drawn Portraits.
The holiday fundraiser brings together local artists of varying talents around the table to sketch commissioned portraits.
“Whether you get a stunning piece by a skilled artist or an awesomely unique masterpiece reminiscent of a second-grade prodigy, you’ll walk away with a one-of-a-kind treasure, and that’s half the fun,” said Bottorff.
The illustrations have been a fundraiser for the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association for the past three years, and according to Bottorff are a hit every year.
“This has turned into a hilarious tradition,” said Bottorff. “Once a year, we gather around the conference table and draw portraits for hours. The result is a unique gift for that someone special on your list that is difficult to buy for.”
According to Bottorff, this year they’ve enlisted a few extra ringer professional artists to keep everyone guessing.
Poorly Drawn Portraits are now open for submissions for just a $25 donation. According to Bottorff, images should be emailed to FDFineArts@Gmail.com by Dec. 17. Images will be delivered shortly after.