Holiday Stroll comes to downtown Mattapoisett
Dec 8, 2018
The Mattapoisett Fire Department decorated their trucks for the grand entrance. Photo by: Grace Ballenger
Willow Ruel does a back bend while playing at the Holiday in the Park event. Photo by: Grace Ballenger
Luke Bienz makes a pipe cleaner candy cane. Photo by: Grace Ballenger
Charlotte Dubeau and Mollie and Harper Osetkowski pose with Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman. Photo by: Grace Ballenger
Members of the Mattapoisett Fire Department responsible for Santa’s escort pose in the big chair, which doesn’t seem so big with them. Photo by: Grace Ballenger
A Mattapoisett fireman helps Ms. Claus down from the fire truck. Photo by: Grace Ballenger
MATTAPOISETT — It may be weeks before Christmas, but people came out in force on Saturday to celebrate the holiday during Mattapoisett’s Holiday in the Park and Holiday Stroll.
The library opened its doors at 1 p.m. on Nov. 8, offering hot cocoa, crafts for the children, holiday book crafts and Patrice Tiedemann, Nicki Lawrence, Jeremy Young, Samuel D’Atri and Keegan Marshall-House from the Seaglass Theater Company offering Christmas music from 2 to 3 p.m.
Rylie Coughlin served as one of the library’s volunteers, helping younger kids to make candy canes out of pipe cleaners and beads. “I love kids. I go help take care of kids, so I thought this would be fun,” she said.
Just after 3 p.m. in Shipyard Park, the Junior High School band struck up the Christmas carols. Children ran around, took photos in the big chair or stopped by the food tent for some doughnuts and warm drinks.
“I was listening on the police scanner, and Santa Claus and Ms. Claus crash landed in New Bedford. The Mattapoisett Fire Department is going to go see if they can help out,” announced Rick LeBlanc, the event’s unofficial emcee, between songs.
Sure enough, the fire department arrived shortly after with a host of holiday characters including Santa Claus, Ms. Claus, an elf, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph.
After some time to greet the holiday figures and take photos, LeBlanc announced that the tree would be lit at 4:30. After a countdown, the lights turned on for the first time this holiday season.
