Vienna lights Holly Days tree
Photo by Kristen Hainkel Attendees watch as the Christmas tree is lit during the City of Vienna Holly Days tree- lighting ceremony Tuesday at Jackson Park.
One of the Holly Days pageant directors, Wendi Williams, left, acknowledges one of the visiting pageant royalty, Lily McCoy, Junior Miss Parkersburg Homecoming, at the City of Vienna Holly Days tree lighting Tuesday in Jackson Park.
Photo by Kristen Hainkel Attendees watch as the Christmas tree is lit during the City of Vienna Holly Days tree- lighting ceremony Tuesday at Jackson Park.
One of the Holly Days pageant directors, Wendi Williams, left, acknowledges one of the visiting pageant royalty, Lily McCoy, Junior Miss Parkersburg Homecoming, at the City of Vienna Holly Days tree lighting Tuesday in Jackson Park.
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VIENNA -- Residents flocked to Jackson Park Tuesday evening for music, hot chocolate and a Christmas tree lighting.
The City of Vienna Holly Days tree lighting started with Steve Black, parks director, welcoming residents to the festivities. He also encouraged them to check out the 165 lighting displays spread throughout the city at Neale Elementary School, Spencer Park, the senior center, fire department, police department, city building, Lake Betsy and the Jackson Park Playground, ball fields and recreation building.
Fellowship Baptist Church Pastor Brian Leversee offered a prayer and reflected on the meaning of Christmas.
"We're anticipating light, the lighting of the tree. It's a good metaphor for the season. God sent his light in a time of darkness," he said.
The first music act was the Greenmont Elementary School choir, directed by Amy Walsh. They sang "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town " and "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree."
Vienna Elementary School performed next, singing "Up On the Housetop," "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer," and "Holly Jolly Christmas." Their directors are Jessie Ice and Shannon Williams.
Holly Days pageant directors Wendi Williams and Madelyn Goff introduced the 22 winners of the pageant, held on Nov. 4. They gave out hot chocolate and cookies in the community building after the ceremony.
"They are more than pretty faces. They are workers," Black said.
Jackson Middle School choirs, directed by Kristen Allodi, also performed several songs including "Snowy Days" and "Et In Terra Pax," which translates to "And On Earth, Peace."
Mayor Randy Rapp said his grandson Caleb Dawson and friend Drew Lewis would light the tree at the end of the ceremony.
Kristen Hainkel can be contacted by email at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com