A holiday tradition decades in the making is now open for all to see in Prineville. It’s called the Grimes Christmas Scene.
“My mother in law stared the collection in 1937 for my husband’s first Christmas and she gave it to me in 1959 for our sons first Christmas,” said curator Beth Grimes.
“Thousands and thousands and thousands of miniature items I put together.”
The family tradition is a holiday staple in Crook County for 85 years.
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What stared with a few miniatures and an invite to close family and friends grew into a dedicated Christmas room when the Grimes built a new house in the early 1980s.
Around the same time, Channel 2 in Portland aired a profile — and the scene went viral before going viral was even a thing.
There’s even a scavenger hunt to find specific items in the scene — spools of thread; glue sticks; a penny; every Dalmatian and more.
“And that’s what I hope to impress on people that the joy of having people come in visit is just outstanding,” said Beth.
She doesn’t want that joy to fade.
“It was always in the back of my mind that I couldn’t give it up.”
She won’t have to. Twelve years ago the tiny villages landed at the Crook County Fairgrounds. The family incorporated it into a nonprofit with plans to keep spirits bright for years to come.
You can see the Grimes Christmas Scene at the Crook County Fairgrounds in Prineville through Christmas Eve. It’s on display Fridays 5-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1-8 p.m.
