Published November 27, 2019
NORTH READING — The Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce’s 14th Annual Holiday Lighting Festival will take place on Sunday, December 1 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on North Reading’s town common.
It promises to be another banner year filled with family-friendly entertainment. Plenty of parking is available at the Batchelder School and a trolley will transport guests to both the common and the activities at the North Reading branch of the Reading Cooperative Bank.
The celebration will include free photos with Santa at Reading Co-op so plan to come early to avoid lines. The first 500 families will receive a free, re-useable grocery tote, which will be perfect to stow in the car as North Reading’s plastic bag ban goes into effect January 1.
These re-useable tote bags are sponsored by Axle Color Studio, The Savings Bank, PDA Dental, Reading Cooperative Bank, Starlite Car Wash, Burlington Self Storage, Sweepnman, Embody MedSpa, Classified Realty, and Service Pumping and Drain. Limit to one bag per family.
The fun continues with tractor and trolley rides around the common through the Center Village Historic District, a live ice sculpture demonstration, a balloon twister entertainer, pony rides, performances by the NRHS Marching Band and other local dance and karate studios. There will also be great food (remember to bring cash for snacks).
The Festival will culminate at dusk when Santa and his elves officially light the Christmas tree at the top of the town common, along with the trees bordering the common for all to enjoy throughout the holiday season.
The Chamber’s Platinum sponsor for this event is Austin Preparatory School of Reading. Gold sponsors are The Savings Bank, Reading Cooperative Bank, Teresa’s Hospitality Group, and Classified Realty.
Pony rides are sponsored by Service Pumping and Drain. The bounce house is sponsored by The Horseshoe Grille, Cota Funeral Home and JH Insurance Group. The ice sculpture is sponsored by Cota Funeral Home, Bark n’ Roll, A Class Act Limousine, The Horseshoe Grille, and The Janice Sullivan Team at Laer Realty.
Mark your calendar to join this event, which officially kicks off the holiday season in town. Additional events are being run in conjunction with the Chamber’s Holiday Lighting Festival by other town organizations, such as the Friends of the Flint Memorial Library Cookie Walk, crafts and singing by Art Grossman in the activity room; tours of the historic buildings on the grounds of the Rev. Daniel Putnam House by the Historical and Antiquarian Society and face painting and a special storytime at the Damon Tavern; and a living Nativity and petting zoo at the Putnam House barn sponsored by the town’s churches (see related stories inside today’s Transcript for additional details on these events).
More information on the festival may also be found online at: www.readingnreadingchamber.com or by contacting Executive Director Lisa Egan at legan@rnrchamber.com or 978-664-5060.
The event will be held held rain or shine.
