Christmas Comes To Central Bridge

It was a beautiful tree lighting in Central Bridge

The parade got underway with multiple local organizations and emergency services participating

The parade lineup that evening

By Joshua Walther

CENTRAL BRIDGE - This year was the very first annual celebration of Christmas in Central Bridge, a series of festivities put on by the local fire department.

The new event was devised by the Holiday Lights Committee, a branch of the fire department that oversees their namesake Holiday Lights Contest, and collaborations from the Central Bridge Civic Association.

As soon as the town began to stir at eight in the morning last Sunday, early risers were treated to a spread of pancakes to start the day. Then, at noon, everyone was invited to participate in a chili cook-off at the firehouse.

However, the big moment was still to come. At five, just when the skies began to darken, the fire department joined with Quaker Street Fire District and the state police to put on their first neighborhood parade.

With blaring sirens and flashing Christmas lights, seven vehicles made their way down Main Street and around the village green, prompting passersby to stop and watch with everyone else.

A small group of locals formed on the village green to cheer them on, including former fire chief Scott Johnson, who stated that he was a little underwhelmed.

“It’s a great idea,” he said, expressly supporting the celebration. “But it’s hard to get community involvement and support for these guys. They went door to door and you don’t see a lot of people out here.”

However, despite Mr. Johnson’s concerns, the town was still buzzing with those that sat on their porches or lined the streets to watch the parade from other angles.

When the parade had come to a halt in the center of town, the fire department hosted a few pictures with Santa, then they ended the night with a tree lighting ceremony on the green.

Steven Underwood, a member of the Holiday Lights Committee and one of the founding minds behind the event, was thrilled about their success, but noted that he wanted to see more growth for next year.

“We’re all about giving back to the community and creating a festive mood, so look out for involvement in Central Bridge,” he concluded.