The towering trees that line the main drive in Dimmick Park were lit up red and green as part of Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park on Saturday. The socially-distanced event was part of this year’s Holiday Weekend Extravaganza in Hellertown, presented by the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce as a COVID-19-era alternative to Light Up Night.
The Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce‘s Holiday Weekend Extravaganza began Friday night with a virtual tree-lighting ceremony and continued Saturday evening with a festive light display in the borough’s Morris J. Dimmick Park.
Hundreds of residents eager to experience holiday cheer lined up inside their vehicles along Depot and Durham streets–outside the park’s main entrance–from 6 to 8 p.m.
Visitors to the dazzling display were required to remain in their cars as they slowly drove up and down the road that leads to the park’s flagpole, but they were able to interact with business sponsors and chamber members who handed out things like cookies, hot cocoa mix, fuzzy reindeer antler headbands, a holiday coupon booklet and craft kits for kids.
Event volunteers wore face masks due to the requirements that are in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is what inspired the changes to this year’s Light Up Night event, which is normally held Black Friday and attracts thousands of people to the park.
Representatives from the Goddard School in Center Valley handed out candy canes and information at Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park, which was part of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber’s Holiday Weekend Extravaganza.
Local fire company volunteers assisted with traffic control outside the park, whose towering trees were turned red and green with flood lighting at ground level.
An electronic sign instructed motorists to turn their FM radio dials to 106.5 for holiday music and recorded Christmas greetings from the chamber and event sponsors, who included:
- Mobile Technology Graphics (Presenting Sponsor)
- Designing Wealth Management of Raymond James & Associates-The LaBuda Team (Holiday Shopping Booklet Presenting Sponsor)
- Lost Tavern Brewing and Quest Termite & Pest (Toy Giveaway sponsors)
- BB&T Now Truist, Hellertown Dental Group and Steel Club (Craft Kit sponsors)
- Farmers Insurance-The Wimbish Agency (Hot Chocolate Kit Sponsor)
- ASR Media Productions, Bucks Run Oil and Saucon Valley Bikes (Candy Cane sponsors)
- Magical Travel (Information Tent Sponsor)
- 412 Auto Tags & Notary and Crayola Experience (Holiday Kick-Off Supporting sponsors)
- Giant (Cookie Sponsor)
- Working Dog Press (Print Sponsor)
- 412 Auto Tags & Notary, Goddard School-Center Valley, Lost River Caverns, Maple Street Woodworking, Saucon Valley Karate Academy, Saucon Valley Manor and TS PR & Event Planning (Decoration sponsors)
- Mike Robinson Productions (Photography Sponsor)
The holiday weekend fun continues Sunday, Nov. 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. when families can “Sit Down with Santa” virtually and let him know what’s on their Christmas wish lists! To register for a three-minute time slot, click here. Each virtual Santa visit will include three photos with the Big Guy and the event is free, however donations can be made to help support the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber’s Scholarship Fund, which supports future business and community leaders in the Saucon Valley School District. To make a donation, visit https://bit.ly/36lOjvQ and click “Register Now.” In the “Organization” section of registration, simply write “Community Resident.”
“Sit Down with Santa” is being hosted by the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce with support from presenting sponsor David Heintzelman & Family.
“Wave to Santa!” One of the highlights of the Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park event was seeing Santa on the classic Dewey fire truck that is normally his ride when he visits the borough. Local residents will have the opportunity to Sit Down with Santa Sunday, virtually, to tell him what they want for Christmas.
If you missed it on Facebook Live, you can get in the holiday spirit by watching a recording of Friday night’s tree-lighting ceremony at Dimmick Park, below.
And if you need more Christmas and holiday-themed events to look forward to, mark your calendars for Santa’s Run Through the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Area.
On Sunday, Dec. 20, beginning at 1 p.m., firefighters from Dewey Fire Company No. 1, Lower Saucon Fire Rescue and Steel City Volunteer Fire Company will escort Santa to neighborhoods throughout the borough of Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township.
Local business owners including Tiffany Sondergaard of TS PR & Event Planning (left) and Brandon Wimbish of Farmers Insurance-The Wimbish Agency (center), not only supported the chamber’s Holiday Weekend Extravaganza as sponsors, but were also on hand at Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park Saturday to help spread holiday cheer and hand out things like hot cocoa mix.
Long lines of vehicles formed along Durham and Depot streets, outside Hellertown’s Morris J. Dimmick Park, where local volunteer firefighters helped direct traffic in and out of the park’s main entrance.
Almost like magic, the up-lighting on the park’s stately trees changed from red to green.
It wouldn’t be a true holiday event without a few storybook characters, like the ones from Disney’s ‘Frozen,’ to spread cheer. The princesses were on hand for the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber’s Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park Saturday.
A Jumbotron set up at the park’s flagpole circle displayed some photos of familiar faces as motorists drove around the loop. The screen was provided by Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park presenting sponsor Mobile Technology Graphics.
Decorations helped set the mood for the event in Dimmick Park.
The borough Christmas tree, which is located on the park’s bandshell stage, could be seen from along the road that visitors to Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park drove up and down.
Motorists could tune in to 106.5 FM to hear holiday music and announcements from the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce as they drove through Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park Saturday.
It wouldn’t be Christmas in Hellertown without Santa, and Santa always looks forward to touring the borough on this vintage Dewey Fire Company No. 1 truck. The only thing different about Santa this year was his required Santa-red face covering.
Directing traffic at the park’s main entrance was a multi-person job, as vehicles were entering it to see the lights from two different directions.
The Lights in Morris J. Dimmick Park provided a beautiful holiday backdrop when viewed from along Constitution Avenue in Hellertown.
