While away I visited a teeny, tiny, little town that revived my Christmas spirit. I sorta lost my spirit when I saw the downtown lights were dim and missing swatches of light and the parade had to change its route because people were only at the start of the route where people were being dropped off and at the end of the route to be picked up. The local stores didn’t have a decorating contest. Homes don’t decorate. People just install blow up decorations that may or may not have any connection to one another, other than they were on sale at a local big box store. So let me tell you about the festival I attended.

Norwich, CT can do something similar. We have most of the components and maybe even a few more. We, as a community, as a city need to get our holiday spirit back.

In the other town, on the first day of the two day event Santa arrived atop a fire truck at 5PM. Norwich could do that.
5 – 7 PM Santa hears childrens wishes and Sparky, the Fire Dog hands out goodies.

A local rescue squad and Grange members make candle holders. Norwich could do that.
There were tours of museums with a man singing original songs. Norwich could do that. Maybe tours of City Hall with the First State Troubador?

They had a tour of a historic area led by a member of the historic society with music by members of the high schools chorus. How about a tour of our own Church Street? Glebe House has a great holiday story!

The Boy Scout Troop handed out tiny cups of cocoa and handed out LED candles to children 3 – 12 for the parade. Norwich scouts could do that.

A local bank sponsored stilt-walkers, jugglers and hula hoopers. Norwich even has a resident fire breather just hoping to be asked to perform.

5 pm One of the funeral homes sponsored a church with 19th century holiday music supplied by a school chorus. Norwich has churches with great acoustics and I am certain there must be a school chorus or two in the city.

6 pm was a vocal ensemble with holiday jazz music at a different location.
A dance school staged a street show with performers 3 to 18. Norwich has dance schools.

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm saw fire spinners on a particular street and a kooky childrens band entertained with kazoos available for the children to join in with.

7:15 pm – saw a high school marching band play for the street decorations lighting. Phenomenal! This I don’t think Norwich could do. The power company arranges for the overhead street decorations to come on as the band marches down the street. Everyone knows its time for the lights because the street gets dark. I thought it was a power failure but the excitement was electric. Even the shops dimmed their lights. The decoration lights came on as the band played beneath. Didn’t take long but the effect was breathtaking. Then people gathered behind the band with their LED candles and walked to the Town Hall for the Lighting Ceremony, a performance by another High School, a few words from Santa, the countdown and lighting. But wait! There is more!

Until 10 pm there was an acoustic duo performance, refreshments with adult beverages for sale.

Day Two Began at Noon

Santa arrived on another fire truck and leads a walk thru another historic district. Selfies with Santa were
hosted by a Girl Scout Troop for the price of a non perishable food item to be donated to the local food pantry. I just saw a Girl Scout Troop sell cookies at Stop & Shop.

Stations were set up with help from a Webelo Pack to make packages of Reindeer Food to take home sponsored by a local Agway. Our Norwich Agway sponsors Santa with your pet photos and has great bird feeding supplies.

An art gallery featured a high school guitar ensemble. Does Norwich have any students that play guitar? How about the Tech Schools or 3 Rivers?

A donation please Trolley provided transportation between various venues. Their website had specifics for locations, times, events, trolley stops, sponsors, links and more.

In various areas kids were invited to bounce away excess energy at Big and Little Moonwalks while parents were urged to rest. There was also touch a fire truck and learn what emergency services are available in your town display.

An 18th Century House had a fireplace cooking demonstration and tasting when available.

Circus performers wandered around an historic district.

Cups of a specialty soup were available from one of the markets.

Kids were invited to a make a special craft at one of the shops.

12 Noon – 1 The Rotary sponsored a High School Choir at a local restaurant. Norwich has the Senior Citizen Choir, numerous church choirs, and more. Perhaps one of them?

1 – 2 pm had a Childrens Theatre Chorus singing at another restaurant.

1:30 was a juggling and balloon show with tricks fun and audience participation with a post show session for kids to learn to make their own balloon animal. Norwich has at least two great clowns!

3 pm was a choreographed vaudeville style circus show with workshops afterwards teaching juggling, hula hoop tricks and flag spinning. Does anyone else recall the Fire-ettes and when NFA had a marching band with flags?

1 – 3 Gingerbread cookie decorating workshop at the library followed by story-telling. Some were old favorites and some were new stories written by local authors.

Adult ornament making workshop at a local church.

Hand bell ringing lessons at a local church.

6-8 pm
Community Bon Fire sponsored by fire cadets, Veterans Associations and Middle and High School student associations.

In town parking was a challenge but Norwich has well placed parking garages and parking lots if people and businesses were willing to cooperate with one another for events. Just because you can do something does not always mean you should do it. Being kind will not come back to bite you.
I know this seems like a lot. A lot of coordination. A lot of participation. But look at it carefully. Its really just tiny groups focused on one or two things and creating a much larger event. Norwich could do something similar. It did not happen for this town overnight. It took many years of practice and growth. Norwich residents just need a chance to breathe, regroup, imagine, smile and focus on the spirit of the season. Together we can make the holidays happen for us all!

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs