HISTORY
The Christmas Festival of Lights program drew an amazing number of people into town in its first year during the Christmas season of 2010. Searching out all of the cookies they could find, visitors turned out for a marvelous day to open the Christmas season as hundreds of kids visited with Santa at the Depot, while the Fire Department collected canned goods and toys for those less fortunate during this season of giving.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the day was the “Cookie Tour”. Each family picked up their passports for the cookie tour and set out collecting cookies at different locations around town and throughout the community. Whether it was just walking through downtown, or taking the horse and wagon rides to the Coe House Museum, most shuttled throughout the area seeking the stamps on their passports for a chance at the Christmas basket prizes at the Depot. With the afternoon pretty much occupied by looking for cookies, listening to music at the Depot, or simply wandering the businesses downtown, most occupied their time at one end of town or the other until the parade got underway.
The streets were lined with people at the start of the parade with a host of creative attempts at lighting up, and sounding up, their different approaches in parade floats, all of which culminated in the lighting of the tree on the grounds of Whistlestop Park. Hundreds of cups of hot chocolate were consumed as everyone awaited the arrival of Santa for the lighting of the tree adorned with more than 8,400 lights. At the designated time, the Mayor started the countdown as Santa made the final connection to light up the tree to applause and oooh’s and aaahh’s. As the spirit and hot chocolate warmed the hearts, Grass Lake native and Jackson County’s Rose Queen Casey McKay autographed pictures for a line of little girls inside the Depot.
An overall enjoyable day throughout Grass Lake. Click on the link below to reach the flyer for more times and details.
Community Tree Walk application