Dec. 1—There's a moment Christa Lundy looks forward to at the beginning of each holiday season.

For nearly a decade Lundy, the executive director of the Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce, has escorted Santa Claus from the yellow-and-white Founders House to the Diamond Park gazebo just across the street.

The celebration follows a similar pattern each year, with hundreds of people gathering in the park for a proclamation, carols, cookies and more — all culminating in the tree-lighting ceremony when Santa tosses a cloud of magic pixie dust onto the Christmas tree that decorates the gazebo.

It's at that moment the "magic" occurs as the dark tree and lights elsewhere in the park suddenly flash on but Lundy looks to the crowd instead of the tree for a different sort of magical illumination.

"I love seeing so many people there and the little kids' eyes when they see the tree light up," she said. "I usually look out and look at some of the kids and see their eyes light up when that happens. I just love it."

The annual ceremony begins once again on Friday just before 6 p.m. The fun extends throughout the evening and well beyond Diamond Park as the tree lighting coincides with First Friday, the monthly extended hours event organized by Meadville Independent Business Alliance. Numerous businesses along Chestnut Street, Park Avenue and Market Street will remain open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will offer live music, refreshments, sales, giveaways and more.

The Market House will be open as well, with horse-drawn carriage rides available from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. A team of Belgian draft horses from Andover, Ohio-based Owen Acres Belgians and another team of Percherons will add their thundering clip-clop beat to the holiday sounds as they make their way around downtown. Tickets are $2 per person and can be purchased at the Market House or in advance through a link on the Market House's Facebook page.

It's the first time carriage rides have been offered during Light Up Night since 2019 and the pandemic-delayed return has been long awaited, according to Market Manager Kerstin Ams.

"People love it and it's beautiful and fun," Ams said. "We're excited to have that in downtown Meadville."

The Market House is already in the holiday spirit and is shooting for 100 dozen homemade cookies to give away during Light Up Night, Ams said.

"We have the Christmas music going," she said. "It's very decorated in here. We're ready."

Next door to the Market House, the Crawford Professional Building, 231 Chestnut St., is ready for a festive crowd as well. Following his official duties in Diamond Park, Santa will make his way down Chestnut Street to meet with youngsters and others in the building's spacious lobby from about 6:45 to 8 p.m. He'll be joining Mrs. Claus and staff members from Meadville Public Library there — Mrs. Claus and her helpers will be hosting a story time for the younger set from 5:30 to 8 p.m..

The seasonal lighting and equine transportation won't be the evening's only elements that draw the eyes of visitors. For the third consecutive year, the sidewalks from Market Street to Diamond Park will be ornamented with ice sculptures. In addition to the classic holiday shapes like snowmen and reindeer, the sculptures will include several designed for social media-worthy photos and newcomers like Baby Yoda.

Heather Fish, president of MIBA and owner of Hatch Hollow, 245 Chestnut St., loves to see the line of ice sculptures stretching past her storefront, but she encouraged others who enjoy them not to dawdle.

"If you want to see the sculptures, you'll probably have to be out there Friday night," she said. The sculptures will remain in place as long as they last, Fish explained, but with plenty of rain expected Saturday, latecomers may be admiring puddles more than sculptures.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.