Festival of Lights 2007

City readies to ring in holiday season

The City of Worcester and the Worcester Cultural Coalition will once again present the Festival of Lights on Friday, November 30, 2007 from 5 – 8 p.m. on historic Worcester Common. The celebration will include the annual holiday tree lighting followed by a spectacular light show, musical performances, children’s activities, horse drawn hayrides and a visit by everyone’s favorite elf himself!

“The Festival of Lights has quickly become a favored family tradition in Worcester and this year will be no exception,” said City Manager Michael V. O’Brien. “I look forward to ringing in the season with the community and invite everyone to join me for this year’s festivities.”

Three youth groups will kick-off the festivities beginning at 5 p.m. outside on City Hall Plaza with performances by the Burncoat Brass Ensemble, the Burncoat High School Select Chorus and the Worcester Pubic Schools All-City Chorus. The City’s annual holiday tree will be lit at 6 p.m. sparking a spectacular light show on City Hall’s façade and throughout the Common.

Continuing a long-standing Worcester tradition, the City’s tree has once again been generously donated from a Worcester family. Esther Evans of 235 Massasoit Road and her family are donating the 50-foot Norway spruce in memory of her husband, Eldon Evans, who passed away last November. Four generations of the Eldon family are expected to attend the Festival of Lights, with Mrs. Evans’ eight-year-old grandson to do the honors of flipping the switch to light the giant tree.

The halls of City Hall will come alive between 6 – 8 p.m. with performances by the Worcester Public Schools Handbell Choir, the Joy of Music Program’s Frog Point Fiddlers and Jazz Trane. Members of the Worcester Cultural Coalition will also be on hand inside City Hall with items for sale as well as to provide a variety of hands-on activities and experiences including the Worcester Public Schools visual arts exhibit, Worcester Art Museum, Higgins Armory Museum, EcoTarium, Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, the Worcester Public Library, Worcester Women’s History Project with Sparkles the Clown, Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Foothills Theatre, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester Tornadoes, Worcester Sharks and the New England Surge.

New for the 2007 celebration, Preservation Worcester docent Peter Viles will be offering complimentary guided walking tours of the City Hall area – highlighting Worcester’s magnificent architecture and sharing tales of some of its most memorable citizens.

Young and old alike will have the opportunity to enjoy visits with Santa Claus, horse- drawn hayrides around the Common as well as an opportunity to meet some of the City’s favorite characters, including the Worcester Sharks’ Finz, Worcester Tornadoes’ Twister, Worcester Public Library’s Whooster the Owl, Plucky the Worcester Cultural Coalition Chicken and others.

Just down the street from City Hall at the studio of WCCA TV-13, 415 Main Street, guests are encouraged to send holiday greetings to friends and family on camera. Greetings will be re-broadcast throughout the holiday season on Channel 13.

November 30th will also mark the opening of the Winter Exhibit of the Worcester Windows Community Gallery Program, which utilizes nearly a dozen storefronts along Main Street and throughout the downtown area as exhibit space to enhance the City’s downtown and to provide display opportunities for local emerging and established artists.

The Festival of Lights is free and open to the public, will be held rain or shine, and is being sponsored by the City of Worcester and the Worcester Cultural Coalition.

Schedule of Events

5- 6 p.m City Hall Plaza

6- 8 p.m. On/Around Worcester Common

Enjoy a magnificent light show and horse drawn hayrides! Meet strolling characters including Worcester Cultural Coalition’s Plucky, Whooster the Public Library Owl, Worcester sports team favorites and others!

Worcester City Hall Performers & Exhibitors

6-8 p.m.

First Floor

6:00 p.m. Claremont Academy Handbell Choir

6:30 p.m. Andrew the Magician

Public restrooms available first floor.

Second Floor

Visit with Santa Claus

6:15 p.m. Joy of Music Celtic Fiddlers

6:45 p.m. Joy of Music Program Jazz Explorers

The City of Worcester would like to acknowledge and thank: Esther Evans and family for the generous donation of the 50-foot Norway spruce serving as the centerpiece of our festival! And, our volunteer Elves from South High School and Worcester Technical High School.

2007 Festival of Lights sponsored by City of Worcester and the Worcester Cultural Coalition in collaboration with WSRS/WTAG and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Contact us: culture@worcestermass.org