City ushers in holiday season
Nov. 19—F riday evening, Old Man Winter gripped downtown Owensboro, with gusting wind down Veterans Boulevard causing people to put their heads down against the cold.
But with the help of the Kentucky Youth Chorale, about 200 people chased the winter blues away and ushered in the holiday season with the lighting of the city's Christmas Tree in Smothers Park.
People, bundled against the wind, gathered against the giant Christmas tree, waiting for the magic moment. The chorale, in colorful elf hats, got the crowd into the spirit with a medley of Christmas carols.
Mayor Tom Watson joked about making the audience stand a little longer in the cold.
"I thought we'd wait 45 minutes to an hour," Watson told the crowd, which laughed, even if some silently winced at the thought.
Instead, the crowed counted down from 10. At "1," the tree glowed with a thousand lights.
"Wait for it," Watson told the crowd. A moment later, the Glover H. Cary Bridge lit up in green, red, blue and white lights, shifting and changing as the park speakers played "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."'
Jennifer Clark was there with her family. They had come to hear Kaitlyn Clark sing with the chorale.
"This is the first time we've been down here," Clark said. "We picked the coldest day to come."
As the songs continued, the Christmas tree, and the surrounding trees, began flashing with blue and red, in time with the bridge lights and the music.
The tree lighting is just the start of the Christmas season downtown. The events continue Saturday, Nov. 19, when the Owensboro-Daviess County Christmas Parade rolls down Second Street beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Watson said the tree lighting ceremony is "another way to draw the community down to downtown Owensboro."
The tree lighting is an opportunity "to be thankful for all the things we have," he said.
When asked if the Christmas events were good for downtown merchants, Watson said, "I think businesses will benefit from all the traffic down here."
Mayor Pro Tem Larry Maglinger said the city had added even more lights to the downtown displays.
"This is important," said Maglinger, who noted the event draws a large crowd to the riverfront.
"It kicks off the whole season," he said.
