Coldwater's Memorial Park to get Christmas makeover

COLDWATER - A portion of Memorial Park is being transformed into a twinkling, winter wonderland by the Coldwater Kiwanis Club.

Club members are spearheading the new event called Christmas at Memorial Park, said organizers Molly Hay and Nancy Hartke. It will be staged in the same area as the annual Coldwater Community Picnic.

Festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 with a kick-off parade around the park, followed by a flip the switch lighting ceremony.

"People along the route are welcome to stand out, wave, and cheer. Santa Claus will be on the fire truck," Hay said.

Hartke said Christmas lights at the park will be on every night until Jan.1, and guests may visit day and night. The event will be staged as a walk-through only. No cars will be permitted in the park.

Visitors entering the park from Elm Street will encounter a 200-foot lighted tunnel with toy soldiers and luminaries lining the walkway to shelter house No. 3. The gazebo will be converted into Santa's village and the amphitheater will be filled with decorations, Christmas scenes and 10 teepee trees, Hay said.

A Christmas card walk with 150 yard signs decorated by families and businesses will be placed in front of the St. Francis statue. These will be intermingled with Christmas characters and illuminated with floodlights.

"Two signs will be chosen for the judge's choice award for the most creative," Hay said.

Coldwater students in kindergarten through fourth grade made tree ornaments which will be displayed on a tree for each grade near the amphitheater, Hay said.

Free activities will be available at the park from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. the first and second weekends in December.

Dec. 4 will feature a Christmas sing-along wagon ride. A portable ice skating rink behind the statue of St. Francis will be open until 5 p.m. Ice skates will be provided. Dec. 5 will be designated as Kids' Fun Day for younger children with games and prizes planned for those ages 2-8. Games will be modified so kids of all ages can participate, Hartke said.

Free pony rides will be available Dec. 11 and 12.  The Cavalier Steel Drum Band and students from Emily Geier Voice Studio will perform on Dec. 11, and comedy juggler and ventriloquist Mike Hemmelgarn will entertain Dec. 12.

Santa will be at the park both weekends and after the parade on Dec. 3. Mrs. Claus will join him on Sunday afternoons. Christmas characters will stroll the park throughout the weekends, Hay said.

The Kiwanis trailer will serve cookies and hot cocoa near the shelter house. No restroom facilities will be available at the shelter house or near the area of the festivities, Hay said.

The event has been in the planning stages for two years, Hay said. Once the pandemic hit, the club could not meet in person and they decided to take the whole year to work on ideas.

"We wanted to do something for our community," Hay said of the event. "We want people to get out and create some good memories."

The community has been very involved with planning the project, both women said.

"People have come to us, wanting to help," Hartke said.

Hay said project organizers received donations from businesses to purchase lights and additional items. Others have donated goods and services. Local residents donated wreaths, blow-up characters and miscellaneous decorations, she said.

The group is already looking toward the future and hopes to expand the event in years to come, Hartke said.

"We are going to be taking donations, so that will help build the funds for next year," Hay said, adding "We have a five- year plan."

Hartke said the project has been a lot of work, but the support has been overwhelming.

"People want to be a part of it," she said. "I think for the first year it's going to look amazing. I think people are going to be shocked at how much it is in one year."

Hay said parade entries are still welcome and anyone wishing to help can contact a Kiwanis club member.

More information on the event can be found on its Facebook page, ChristmasatMemorialPark.