Dina Polizzi, Events and Publications Director for the Chamber of Commerce, said that the recent sidewalk construction required the removal of many trees along North Pleasant Street, leaving fewer trees to decorate with holiday lights. Also, the new lampposts provide fewer electrical outlets for those lights. Locations with both a tree and electricity became scarce, so an additional decorative option was needed.
The Chamber’s Merry Maple Committee decided on wreaths and ribbons as another festive way to brighten up downtown during the holiday season. Friday, Polizzi, members of the committee and volunteers from UMass bedecked the lampposts, with the help of ladders supplied by Barry Roberts.
“We have received nothing but positive feedback,” said Polizzi. “While we were out there Friday, people kept telling us how beautiful it looked.”
Polizzi said the materials are of the “all-weather” variety, and she hopes they will hold up well and be reusable next year.
The decorations are part of the of the overall Merry Maple festivities, and are sponsored by TD Banknorth, Promoting Downtown Amherst, the Chamber and generous local donors. The actual Merry Maple Celebration is December 1st, and has been expanded this year to include lots of music, a parade, ballet and street performers among its attractions, in addition to the lighting of the grand maple tree on the Common. The full event schedule, provided by the Chamber is as follows:
Friday, December 1st, 2006, 4pm-6pm, Downtown Amherst
4:00pm - Carriage Shops
Special guest appearance of The Eric Carle Museum's "Very Hungry Caterpillar"
Wildwood Elementary School will begin singing on the balcony and then will continue down through town, stopping and singing along the way
Free refreshments served by The Loose Goose Cafe & Sugar Jones Cookies
4:00pm - 5:30pm - Throughout Downtown
the town will be filled with circus jugglers, magicians, stilt walkers, unicyclists, clowns, musicians
4:00pm - Amherst Common
Muddy Brook Farm will be providing horse carriage rides between the Pub and the Common Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce will be serving Atkin's Farms Hot Apple Cider
4:10pm - Amherst Computerworks
Jazz Sketches
4:30pm - Town Hall Steps
the Amherst Middle School Chorus
5:00pm - Parade
the UMass Minutemen Marching Band will launch the parade at Triangle St., pass the Carriage Shops, travel to the Common. Everyone is welcome to join along
5:20pm - Town Common
the grand old 'Merry Maple' tree will be lit with 10,000 colored lights
5:25pm - Town Common
the UMass Minutemen Marching Band will astound & delight us with their spectacular performance
6:00pm - Amherst History Museum
Open House at the Amherst History Museum with Santa, music, refreshments and a performance by Amherst Ballet
Brought to you by the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
This event is generously sponsored by TD Banknorth and Promoting Downtown Amherst (PDA)
For more information:
413-253-0700 or info@AmherstArea.com
Look Downtown for:
Luke the Magician
Happy Dan the Clown
Ben Cole Unicyclist & Friends
Circus Folk Unite!
Rainbow Players
Rolf the guitarist
and many more...
-- Stephanie O’Keeffe
