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Date: 12/2/2020
SOUTH HADLEY/GRANBY – The Annual Holiday Stroll has been a tradition in South Holyoke for several decades now.
The event, hosted by the South Hadley and Granby Chamber of Commerce, typically draws hundreds of people from the two towns to the South Hadley Village Commons each year. Michelle Theroux, who serves as the president of the chamber, said the event was “probably close to 30-some odd years” old.
“Usually it takes place on the Common, it marks Santa’s arrival as well as the tree lighting,” she said. In an ordinary year, Theroux said there would be carolers performing prior to Santa’s arrival in the gazebo, a hot chocolate station, crafts, a cookie station and a place for children to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their holiday wish list.
She said last year “about 300 to 400 participants” gathered in the Common to kick off the holiday season. “It really is coming together for our community for the season, to kick off the season,” she said.
In addition to gathering the community, she said local businesses also benefited from the event. “Local shops and restaurants were able to benefit from that many people,” she said.
This year, however, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the chamber was forced to reimagine this year’s event. “Obviously so many of those aspects can’t be done this year, with food safety restrictions, gathering restrictions,” she said. This year, rather than the large gathering that is typically hosted, instead Theroux said this year’s Holiday Stroll will be a drive through event.
This year’s event will take place at the Beers and Story Funeral Home on 646 Newton St. in South Hadley. The Dec. 4 event will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Theroux said the “COVID friendly” event is open to both Granby and South Hadley residents. “It’s really anyone in our community, anyone who pulls up is welcome to come on through and see what’s going on,” she said.
Theroux said the driveway of the funeral home was “pretty deep,” allowing for long lines to be easily navigated. However, she said the chamber was “working with staff and the South Hadley police to ensure everyone is safe while they attend.”
She said that the two sides of the driveway will be labeled to allow for families to easily navigate the drive through event. “Families will pull in on one side of the driveway, they’ll be labeled and marked, we’ll have it decorated [so] the spirit of the holiday will come across,” she said.
In addition to holiday decorations she said event sponsors will have booths set up, holiday music will be playing and there may be some “takeaway goodies.” To ensure that Theroux said the pair will be set up under a portico and there will be a box for children to drop off their letters to Santa.
Theroux said in addition to the drive through event, the chamber is also hosting a color contest for children in Granby and South Hadley. She said the color sheets were distributed through the local schools, and prizes would be awarded to winners. She said it was important for the chamber to do something special for the kids this year. “Life has been so different and hard for adults, but kids have pivoted so tremendously,” she said.
Ultimately, Theroux said in 2021 she hopes the event will be back to the tradition in 2021. However, she said the chamber would listen to the advice and recommendations of medical experts and follow guidelines put forth by the town. “It would be great if we could be back and in person and without restrictions, but time will tell, and local authorities will tell us what we can and can’t do,” she said.
Theroux said the event will take place rain or shine, and will only be postponed “if there were so much snow it would be unsafe.” More information about this year’s drive through event can be found online at https://www.shgchamber.com/events/2019/4/17/theholidaystroll-trmp4.