Celebrate. Rejoice.

Celebrate A Country Christmas in Northwest Nebraska! Get your shopping list done with unique gift items, enjoy community festivities and let the kids see Santa, all while keeping family, friends and community front and center.

Library staff Rossella Tesch, Renee Redfern and Carl Spicher, from left, accept the People’s Choice traveling trophy for the library’s Out of the Book tree entry at the 2025 Festival of Trees. Photo by Kerri Rempp/Discover Northwest Nebraska

Chadron Public Library Wins Festival of Trees People’s Choice Award

The Chadron Public Library’s creative Out of the Book tree was chosen as the People’s Choice Award winner at this year’s Festival of Trees. The organization will possess the traveling trophy that goes along with the honor for the next year.

The tree was made out of pages of books, edged in glitter, and topped with a star.

“Author Jean Rhys said, ‘Reading makes immigrants of us all. It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere.’ Books transport us to new worlds, introduce us to friends we never knew and connect us through time,” said the library in its description for the event.

The Chadron Public Library, built in 1912, is one of the 2,509 Carnegie Libraries worldwide built with funds donated by famed philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The library is designed in the Classical Revival style.

Keep Chadron Beautiful and Northwest Community Action Partnership Head Start were the second and third-place vote-getters.

This year’s Festival of Trees included more than 30 entries. The event takes place at the Dawes County Courthouse each year, and businesses, organizations, families and individuals are invited to participate by bringing and decorating a tree for the holiday season.

“The Festival of Trees was started more than a decade ago,” said Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp. “The trees were creative and unique, reflecting the spirit of the Open Frontier Creative District, of which the historical Dawes County Courthouse is part. I hope to see the Festival of Trees continue to grow as our Country Christmas committee continues to expand on the holiday celebration.

Lighting project in the works

We’re already planning for Christmas 2026! 308 Nutrition owner and operator Kali Cotton approached the Country Christmas committee about lighting up downtown Chadron.

Here is what we know:
-EVERYONE IS INCLUDED, we would love to see downtown lit up, although this is open to any business that is interested! The more the merrier!

-We are working behind the scenes to get info on pricing, square footage per building, electrical needs, logistics for hanging and iron out all of the details to better promote this program and answer your questions.

-If you are interested in donating to the cause we are working with Homestead Bank & The Chadron Community Foundation Fund to accept donations to help off-set cost for local businesses. If you are interested in donating, you may write a check to: “Chadron Community Foundation Fund”, Memo Line: Christmas Lights Donation and give to Kali Cotton at 308 Nutrition or Gabby Kreis at the Chadron Chamber.