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NORTH WEBSTER - Events like a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony are meant to bring a community together, and that’s what North Webster’s did Saturday night as hundreds of people gathered downtown for all the festive activities.
North Webster Town Councilman Dan Thystrup said the turnout was awesome.
“It’s really great and it really shows that Webster people come out and they’re interested in their city, what we’re doing here in our town,” he stated.
While he didn’t want to venture a guess on how many people turned out, he jokingly said, “I’m glad there’s not more because then we wouldn’t fit!”
The annual event - which includes the tree-lighting on the Pilcher’s lawn by Santa Claus - does continue to grow every year, he said.
Nicole Nabinger, event chair for the tree-lighting for the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce, said the tree-lighting ceremony is one of her favorite events and that’s why she chose to chair the committee.
“Because I love Christmas and I love this event, and it keeps growing and we keep adding to it,” she said.
Planning for the event begins annually in August. She said the tree-lighting ceremony probably has been going on for more than 10 years.
“We started down at the Community Center, and then moved it down here to encompass more of the businesses and have a little more space to grow and to light the big tree,” she said.
The very tall Christmas tree used to be decorated by the Chamber themselves.
“They used to borrow like a box truck or a bucket truck from local businesses and decorate it themselves. And then it just got to be too much, so we hired a company this year to decorate it so it’s professionally decorated. So they decorate the tree and the light poles both for us,” Nabinger explained.
Activities started at 3 p.m. Saturday and ended with the tree-lighting at 6:30 p.m.
She said most of the businesses in the square were open and offered specials, giveaways, sales and such. Some area businesses were set up inside Pilcher’s or along Washington Street. Different organizations, like the Boys and Girls Scouts, Danny’s and Hospitality Depot, also had booths set up to offering different things to the community.
Santa and Mrs. Claus could be found at the Red Brick “Firehouse,” 220 N. Main St., before making their way over to the community sing-along at 6:15 p.m. and then the tree-lighting.
The Grinch returned to North Webster and could be found at Caliber Designs.
The River Coffeehouse provided free hot chocolate, with marshmallows for those who wanted them. Under the Ace Hardware and Chamber tents were bags of free popcorn.
Performers sang Christmas carols beginning at 5 p.m. on the Pilcher’s lawn, including the North Webster Elementary School Choir, Marena Moonflower and Lisa Scott.
Jill & Jennifer’s Salon offered a hot dog giveaway, a food drive for the North Webster Food Pantry and they organized the ATV parade, which occurred up and down Main Street at 5:45 p.m.
Jill Baker said, “Jennifer Crosley is an organizer of this (ATV parade and food drive) for the town. She helped with this, and we have all participated. Our business - Jill & Jennifer’s Salon with Haley Angel and Brooklen Vanover - we all put this together. Six years, I think, we might have done it. All these hot dogs - four hundred and some hot dogs - and then we do a big drive for our food pantry, that’s what this is for, our town’s food pantry.”
The lighted parade not only included ATVs, but also Jeeps and golf carts.
“Just come and enjoy. Life is good,” Baker said, estimating that about 50 ATVs usually participate in the parade. “There might have been 60 last year and I haven’t counted yet today. The more the merrier. Just give to our town and be successful and kind to people.”
“There’s just lots of different things,” Nabinger said of the many activities that took place Saturday. “... The event is put on by the community. We get community sponsors and that’s how this is funded, so it’s all based off people around Webster paying for it, so there isn’t any money that comes out of the Chamber budget for it. So it’s just a big community event and we try to do it as a giveaway or give-back to the community and it’s just something nice to kick off the holiday season.”
Before the tree-lighting, North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce President Emily Shipley thanked the volunteers who helped put the evening together, as well as the headlining sponsors: Hartley Builders; Metcalf, Payne & Bell; My Red Moon, Syracuse; Tranter Graphics, including Sue’s Creations and Pack Rat; Titus Funeral Home and Crossroads Bank; and all the other sponsors.
In her welcoming comments, Nabinger said, in part, “It means the world to see our community gathered together to kick off the season in the best way: Side by side, sharing a light and a little joy. Tonight feels like we stepped straight into one of those small town holiday moments that Hallmark wishes it could bottle up. Tonight isn’t just about lighting our tree, it’s about lighting up our community.”
