Published: November 19, 2009 10:28 pm      

Christmas in the Park to light up soon

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Organizers and participants in Christmas in the Park are gearing up for another successful light show.

“It’s coming together,” event coordinator Travis Perry said. “Pray for good weather.”

Christmas in the Park will be held Dec. 18 and 19 in Veterans Park, and feature both secular and Christian lighting displays to celebrate the Christmas season.

This will be the fourth year for Christmas in the Park, an event held in partnership between area churches and the City Parks and Recreation Department. Last year there were more than 3,900 people who viewed the lights from about 1,400 vehicles which wound through the pathway in the park, listening to Christmas music, and seeing the lights and live displays. Each year, displays include stationery as well as moving displays, some which feature people and animals.

According to Perry, there is always room for churches to participate, and there is one slot that has been filled previously which is open for any church which would like to participate in putting together a display.

“We had three churches that had to drop out this year, but we had two that came in to take their place,” Perry reported. “That leaves one spot in the middle that we usually have someone in, open.”

Churches participating this year include Trinity Episcopal Church, King City Church of God, Southwest Christian Church, Opdyke Baptist Church, Logan Street Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, West Salem Trinity United Methodist Church, Casey Avenue Baptist Church, Camp Ground Baptist Church, Epworth United Methodist Church, Park Avenue Baptist Church, Lighthouse Baptist Church and Bethel Baptist Church.

Those planning on visiting the display will notice a little difference in traffic control. Visitors will still enter the park from the South 27th Street entrance, but there will be changes.

“The city has given us permission to close South 27th Street,” Perry explained. “Visitors will come in the same way and they will only allow traffic coming in from Logan and Jamison streets. We will double line up the cars and take every other one as they go into the park. This will give us a better queuing mechanism for going into the park.”

In addition, Perry said there would be officers on hand to help direct traffic.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to help with Christmas in the Park, or who would like to get their church involved in the community light display, may contact Perry at 244-4541.