Light Up For Christmas
The Carmichaels Area School District, the Carmichaels Chamber of Commerce and the borough of Carmichaels came together and hosted their annual “Light Up for Christmas” event on the evening of Dec. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m.
The event was held as a celebration of the beginning of the Christmas season and to prepare for Santa Claus coming to town.
Children of all ages and their families lined up the streets as the Carmichaels Area Elementary School’s Musical Mikes sang Christmas carols and the Carmichaels Area High School Band played music.
After they were finished, the band marched down the street along with police cars and fire trucks behind them, and on the very last fire truck sat the guest of honor, all the way from the North Pole, Santa Claus, smiling and waving.
When they arrived at the Carmichaels Town Square, Santa got off of the fire truck and sat down next to the 2016 Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Queen, Morgan Voithofer, who is a senior at Carmichaels Area Senior High School this year.
Santa and Voithofer both gave out goodie bags as children came up to Santa to tell him what they wanted for Christmas, and youngsters also got their pictures taken sitting on Santa’s lap. There were also volunteers dressed up as elves to make sure the children got their pictures taken with Santa and that they did not leave without their bags of candy.
After the youths were finished visiting Santa and the Coal Queen, they went in front of the borough’s Town Square to dance and listen to music, which was being played by local DJ Dave Plavi, as well as to wait for the lighting of the town’s Christmas tree, which was donated by Fred Clark of Clark’s Nursery.
One could see the smile on the children’s faces as they met Santa and listened to songs such as “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”
Several in attendance called the evening “a really good wholesome family event,” one that helped kick off the holiday season for children.