The big Christmas tree at Valley Park was lit up during last Saturday’s event.
This past Friday was the first day of December, and Valley Park celebrated the beginning of the holiday season with its annual Yuletide in the Park extravaganza. The festivities on Friday evening began with a Christmas carol concert featuring the Hurricane Civic Chorus.
In preparation for the event, a large Christmas tree had been placed in the center of the green in front of the Valley Park conference center. The tree was lit for the first time on Friday evening, much to the delight of all those attending the festivities.
In addition to the big Christmas tree, many smaller trees sponsored by local businesses and organizations were placed around the sidewalks which meander around the green. There was a total number of eighty sponsored trees, in comparison to the seventeen that decorated the park last year. The community can vote on their favorite trees from now until December 22 by going to the Valley Park Facebook page and liking the photos of the trees they like best.
Shortly after the tree lighting ceremony, Park Director Jeremy Williams and the Yuletide in the Park pageant queens presented the Putnam County Animal Shelter with check for $3,000.
Several contests were held throughout the Yuletide in the Park celebrations last Friday, including an ugly sweater contest and the Jingle Tails Pet Parade.
Inside the conference center, families lined up for photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Other events at Yuletide in the Park included horse-drawn wagon rides, a foam “snow” machine, story time with the Putnam County Library, an ornament making class for children, and a princess dance performance by Kelly’s Dance Studio of Cross Lanes.
Word of Light Community Church of Culloden hosted a live nativity scene on Friday evening, with members of the church putting on performances at regular intervals. While the church has held the live nativity in conjunction with Yuletide in the Park for many years, a new feature this year was a petting zoo hosted by Campbell Family Animal Encounters. A second live nativity performance was planned for Saturday, but was cancelled due to inclement weather.
While the main Yuletide in the Park festivities might be over for the year, visitors to the park can see the large Christmas tree in the center of the green, as well as the display of trees decorated by local businesses and organizations. Throughout the holiday season, the park will be lit up each evening with light displays. To keep informed on upcoming events at the park, follow Valley Park, WV on Facebook.
