Kutztown Community Partnership’s Christmas in Kutztown helped families get into the holiday spirit, despite the cold and rain on Saturday.
“In spite of the rain, we’ve had a decent showing,” said Nancy S. Brooks, Main Street Manager, Kutztown Community Partnership. “I hear the train station has been packed all day where we had our craft vendors and children’s crafts. Along Main Street we’ve had families trudging along in the rain enjoying the hot chocolate and the warm fire pits and shopping, hopefully.”
Businesses along Main Street offered specials for the holiday event.
“We at Firefly were very impressed by how many people came for this event despite the rain,” said Firefly co-owner Matthew Williams in an email to KCP and The Patriot. “Firefly Bookstore will continue to support events like these in the future, and we look forward to not only the Block Party in the spring, but working on next year’s Christmas as well!”
The sound of Christmas carols filled the 200 block of West Main Street, which was closed to traffic for a day of holiday festivities from noon to 6 p.m. Walking down the middle of the street armed with umbrellas, my mother and daughter, Anna, 3, followed the sound of carols to find Kutztown High School freshman Julia Mace singing and her mother Karise playing the guitar.
We soon moved on to Pop’s Malte Shoppe in hopes of warming up and seeing Santa. We got as far as the inner door before Anna proclaimed she did not want to talk to Santa. We’ll be writing a letter instead.
Here we met Sadie Underwood, 9, and her sister Cassie, 7, waiting their turn to see Santa.
Sadie said she really likes the event “because it makes everybody feel happy around Christmas time. I don’t really have a favorite part, it’s all really fun.”
They saw “A Christmas Story” at The Strand and later we saw them making crafts at the Railroad Station.
One of the highlights for us was stopping in to see the 586 gingerbread houses built by Kutztown School District elementary students on display at the Eckhaus Gallery. Materials used included cardboard, construction paper, glitter, gems, drawings, to name a few.
“I think this is a real success for us, probably one of our biggest events this year,” said Kutztown University student Danielle Kristich, co-director of Eckaus with Breann Young.
“We’re a student-run art gallery… it’s really nice to see all the families in here,” said Young. “I think it’s great (that the elementary students had the opportunity to showcase their art at their age) I wish I had that.”
“They’re so excited. For it to be in a storefront window on Main Street is very exciting,” said Kristch. “They’ve all been able to find their houses.
Kutztown School District elementary art teacher Donna Hill-Chaney said KCP had approached her about students creating houses for display for this event. She said each child made a house, using milk cartons recycled from the school cafeteria and using patterns each student designed their own house.
“They enjoyed it immensely. Many took them home and did extra work,” said Hill-Chaney.
“I think that the event was an overall success, although disappointed in the weather,” said Nancy S. Brooks, Main Street Manager, Kutztown Community Partnership. “It has been a hugely combined community event,” referring to the many businesses and community volunteers.
She thanked everyone involved who “helped during the planning and coordination of Christmas in Kutztown, I am truly grateful. This was a large event,” and “who shared their time and energy helping us to pull this event together. Please know that we could not have done it without you and all off our many wonderful volunteers.”
Unfortunately, the rain had sent the horse-drawn wagon home early so we walked.
After much walking from Main to Railroad Street back to Main Street, we headed to the Kutztown Historical Society, which turned out to be another highlight for us. There was much to see at the model train display in the basement of the historical society building. A model of the building is part of the display, and we were told, if we looked close enough, we’d see ourselves in the windows.
Then, the final event began with Kutztown University caroler singing upstairs followed by the much anticipated lighting of the Christmas tree outside the historical society building. In the rain, everyone cheered as the bright blue lights lit the darkness and everyone sang carols.
View the videos on Tout.com @KutztownPatriot.
