A New Christmas Tradition In Verona

Dec 04, 2013

Members of the Verona Community Association (VCA) decided to change up their traditional Christmas activities this year. Wayne Conway, director with the VCA, said the change came about because the usual PA Day in November was moved this year to December, which meant that the free skate that usually precedes the annual tree lighting at McMullen Park would not take place. Also, the tree at McMullen Park was getting increasingly damaged from the Christmas lights. So VCA members decided to move the festivities to the Verona Lions Hall on Sand Road and make the event a day-long and evening event for the whole family. Local community businesses and individuals were invited to decorate a number of Christmas trees and 11 trees were set up in the hall's outdoor pavilion. Guests were invited to vote on their favorites and prizes were given out to the top three winners. The 11 gorgeous trees were simultaneously lit up at 6:30 pm. Youngsters had a chance to ride the Verona toy train and roast marshmallows at an outdoor fire pit. Inside the hall they enjoyed a number of special Christmas crafts, games, snacks and beverages, plus visits with the very jolly Santa and Mrs. Claus. A free meal of chili and hot dogs was also provided. Later in the evening music lovers enjoyed local songsters Crooked Wood.

Like all changes it takes time for a new tradition to catch on but by noon on Saturday the parking lot was quickly filling up as carloads of youngsters arrived with parents and grandparents in tow to enjoy the free festivities. Conway said that the event so far seems to be catching on. “It's the first annual and we are seeing a lot of enthusiasm so far. The nice thing is that here there is a place for people to warm up inside, out of the cold.”

The mandate of the VCA is to beatify the town of Verona and make it a place where residents enjoy to live. “We hope to see this new tradition become a successful, long-time ongoing event.” Conway also brought up the fact that the Verona Cattail Festival, now in its fourth year, took a while to catch on but was never more successful than this summer.