2nd Annual Town Wide Holiday Festival is Sunday December 4 in the Town of Schuyler Falls
Nov. 26—SCHUYLER FALLS — Schuyler Falls Town Supervisor Kevin Randall is hands-on for the 2nd Annual Town Wide Holiday Festival on Sunday, Dec. 4.
In preparation of the upcoming weekend festivities, he and his crew have been stringing lights, high and low.
"I just felt that it was a good community event, and that it would help bring everybody together to celebrate the holidays, no matter how they celebrate them," Randall said.
"We worked so hard to try and figure out what we were going to call it."
Most events will be held at River Street Park in Morrisonville for the afternoon and evening event, which includes the Holiday Tree Lighting and Lighted Fire Truck Parade at the Town Hall, with activities for all at Schuyler Falls hamlet and at the River Street Park.
Admission is free and all are welcome.
"It's a nice time of the year, it's nice to spend it with family and friends and people in the community," Randall said.
"As long as it continues to be well attended that's what we plan on doing. It's one of my favorite times of the year."
During this festive holiday event, light refreshments will be available at both venues. All activities are outdoors and subject to appropriate weather.
At 1 p.m. in Schuyler Falls hamlet, join the annual family tree-decorating and more hosted by Ryan's Masonry at 954 Route 22B (Route 22B and Norrisville/Pocket Hill Roads).
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in River Street Park, enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, DJ with music & caroling, kids' activities, and trail walks. Join in before and after tree-lighting. It continues after dark until 7 p.m. or later, under the lighted gazebo, weather permitting.
"The parade will stop at the top of the hill on Mason Street, and the tree lighting will be at the Town Hall," Randall said.
The horse-drawn wagon was a huge success last year.
"I don't think those poor horses ever stopped," Randall said.
"My wife and kids, I think they went on it three or four times. I said why don't you give somebody else a chance. But, it's a lot of fun."
At 4:30 p.m., gather at the Town Hall (997 Mason St.) for 9th annual Tree Lighting.
Plenty of parking is available also, and a great parade viewing site.
At 4:40 p.m., the Lighted Truck Parade starts at the top of the hill on Mason Street — with vehicles representing many units from all around the area.
The parade travels down the hill on Mason Street by the Town Hall then left onto Emory Street to the post office, right on Route 22B, right on Mason Street then left onto River Street to the Park and Ladue Street, where they will pause for close-up viewing.
At 5 p.m., a special guest (S.C.!) arrives at River Street Park to meet with children and families.
'That park is a four-season park," Randall said.
"We have the ice skating rink down there. We do cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. We're looking at expanding the back field. We started that this year, opening up a road to the back, which is a lot larger than what you see in the front. When that opens up in the back, that was part of my visions of grandeur, I guess, to have that a little bit longer through the woods for that ride.
"We're hoping next year that that will be able to go, to ride through the woods on a sleigh. It will probably add another 10 minutes to that ride."
In 2023, the Town of Schuyler Falls will celebrate its 175th anniversary.
At the Holiday Festival, attendees can play a round or two of corn hole and warm up by a log fire.
"It's almost cold enough this year to start the ice skating rink earlier," Randall said.
"We had some ice but today definitely screwed it up because it got too warm again. They say that every year, you get about a third more by word-of-mouth from the people that have attended before."
Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com
Twitter@RobinCaudell
