My Backyard

By Ken McGill, Registrar of Voters

City of Pawtucket 

Hard to believe that the holiday season is just about upon us and the radio stations will begin to play their endless drone Christmas music. Don’t get me wrong I love Christmas but I think it goes on way too long. What I especially love is all the events and get together that happen during the holiday season. 

Pawtucket can boast of a unique event that has been happening since 1999 when two women, Janice McHale and Jean Stizpeck, had an idea to create a Christmas event in Slater Park. From their idea came Pawtucket’s Winter Wonderland a beautiful display of lighted trees and storefronts made to imitate a Victorian Christmas. Although the trees are lit each night through New Year’s the program part of the event are held on the first and second weekends of the month of December. This year the dates will be December 5^th & 6^th and 12^th and 13^th. The grand lighting of the tree ceremony will take place on Saturday, December 5^th as Santa arrives by fire truck. 

The running of the village is done by a group of volunteers called the Winter Wonderland Committee who meet year round to plan the event, find new sponsors, send out letters for those who sponsor trees and all in all walk around on cold winter nights to make sure everything is just perfect. For a small fee there are train rides for the kids, hay rides for everyone, hot chocolate and hot dogs to enjoy and don’t forget to take a spin on the historic Loof Carousel for just twenty-five cents. 

The over 400 trees, which will be lit on the night of December 5^th, are sponsored by families who would like to honor a loved one who has passed or just want to show their holiday spirit. To sponsor a tree, and currently there is a waiting list, cost a family just twenty-five dollars and that includes the tree and three strings of lights, that you must return at the end of the festival. You provided the weatherproof decorations and your families theme. This has turned into a real family tradition where everyone gets together and decorates their tree having a great time while doing it. 

The Winter Wonderland Committee is always looking for new volunteers. The committee is made up of the board of directors and those who volunteer to check the lights or paint buildings, sell hot dogs or collect tickets. No matter what your talent we need you to keep the wonderland alive. Without our numerous volunteers this institution in Pawtucket would come to an end, as would the spirit of Christmas. So if you’re interested in helping out I urge you to contact Bob Machowski, President of the Board of Directors, at the Winter Wonderland hotline – 401-726-3185.

St. Patrick’s Day has its parades and the 4^th of July has its fireworks and the holiday season has Pawtucket’s Winter Wonderland. A tradition for ten years here in our city and hopefully many, many more and that is why the Winter Wonderland will always be part of Pawtucket – Your Hometown!

-           See you next week.