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Date: 12/7/2022
WEST SPRINGFIELD – It was a night of holiday music, laughter, community support, and of course, the ceremonial lighting of the tree in West Springfield.
The city’s 34th annual Caroling Sing-Along and Tree Lighting Ceremony was hosted by the West Springfield Park and Recreation Department on Dec. 1. Hundreds of people gathered outside Town Hall to enjoy holiday classics performed by elementary school students from Coburn, Mittineague, Tatham, Memorial and Fausey schools. Many parents could be seen cheering for the students and dancing to the music.
Emceeing the event was Julie Gray, recreation coordinator for the Park and Recreation Department. She thanked everyone who helped put the event together and came out for the show.
“It’s long and it’s cold, but then it’s so rewarding seeing you and looking at all of you loving everything that we did for you,” Gray said.
Nearby, the West Springfield Police Department hosted a Stuff-a-Cruiser drive, with two vehicles filled with toys to support the Operation Santa Program and West Springfield families. At the West Springfield Public Library, the Red Thread Network for the Arts hosted the sixth annual Yuletree Jubilee. Inside the library, a variety of themed Christmas trees were available for either bidding or raffling off.
Red Thread Network is a nonprofit that promotes art and artists in West Springfield. It also funds art classes for the Park and Recreation Department, art therapy for Cancer House of Hope, and many other events.
Topping off the evening was the traditional “throwing of the switch” by Mayor Will Reichelt to turn on Town Hall’s holiday lights. Speaking after the event, he said it was great to have the community gathered together. That the event was taking place in downtown was especially meaningful, as the town has been working to improve the area over the past decade to make into a “true downtown.” This included working to get new businesses open and helping those already there.
“To have everyone from the community down here at the same time, setting the lights off here and the kids singing, it’s a great community event,” Reichelt said.
Reichelt said the event took a week to put together, and he credited the many departments involved, along with the staff at Town Hall who decorated their windows for the season. Like so many community gatherings, the tree lighting was paused during the coronavirus pandemic, and Reichelt said seeing everyone return was the best part of the job.
“A lot of these things have become bigger and bigger over the past year and a half as we’re able to do them again,” Reichelt said. “So, it just goes to show that people love being out in the community. It’s really what builds a sense of West Side, is having stuff like this.”