The holiday spirit was in full swing as people came out in droves to enjoy Donuts with Santa at County Line Orchard in Hobart on Saturday and Sunday.
The orchard welcomed the jolly old elf just days before he took his flight around the world to deliver Christmas presents. This was the third annual Donuts with Santa event, which continues to grow in popularity each year.
“Yesterday we had more children come to the orchard than we had the entire weekend last year,” Operations Manager Joe Jamicich said. “This is not a money maker, but we do it to help the community out and it brings a lot of happiness to people around this time and makes for a nice event.”
County Line Orchard offered free photos with Santa, five bounce houses, hot apple cider and the best winter wonderland in Northwest Indiana, all for just $5.
The hard work of organizing and hosting the event paid off for the County Line Orchard staff when it saw the smiles on the faces of children who were thrilled when they had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with Saint Nicholas.
“My favorite part of this event is watching the children have so much fun and interacting with Santa and the reaction they get when they meet him,” Michelle Torres, who works at the register selling donuts and apple cider, said.
Although many of the people who attended were locals from Hobart, Portage, Chesterton, Valparaiso and elsewhere in Northwest Indiana, others traveled long distances in order for their chance to gobble down a donut and chat with Santa.
“We were told about the Orchard from family, and came in the fall and heard about this and decided to come out again and check out this event,” Mike and Norma Camacho, who came from Chicago, said. “We love it here and how it is so nicely organized and we just love the whole atmosphere of it all.”
Vallerie Clabaugh, who resides in San Pierre, Ind., has been coming to the event for the past few years and has been following all of the Orchard’s events for many years.
Anthony and Aimee Ortaz saw the event online and decided to bring their daughter Ava to check it out. Ava is in love with the orchard, which she and her family visited many times this fall.
Courtesy of County Line Orchard, many children enjoyed a special moment on Santa’s lap and left with hopes that he would come through on Christmas morning.