- Nephi City Council would like to provide more Christmas festivities in the community -- any volunteers?
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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Those who have been grousing that Nephi, as a city, does not do enough to make the Christmas holiday a community event, may be in for a surprise.
“We (city council members) have been discussing the upcoming Christmas season,” said Mayor Mark Jones.
Jones said the council wanted the celebration of Christmas to extend further than just having the city decorate city hall and put up some lights along Main Street.
He explained that he had contacted the Juab Fine Arts Council and invited someone to attend council meeting to discuss what was being done by the Arts Council and ways the city council might join the group to provide more festivities in the community.
Representing the Arts Council at the meeting were Fran Peterson and Lisa Woodland.
Jones said the city council had discussed lighting up the Old Mill Park and, perhaps, begin the tradition of a light parade that could travel along Main Street from that park.
“We also talked about lighting up the main city park,” said Robert Painter, city council member. “We could have Santa there one night.”
The cost of lights had been surprising to the council but, they said, perhaps merchants in the community could also help pay the cost of the new project by donating lights or funds.
“If we fixed up the park nice enough for people to walk through it, they may be willing to pay a fee,” said Jim Wilkey, council member.
He said there are a large number of people who go to Spanish Fork to view that city’s light display and he is always impressed by the number of people willing to pay to drive through the mile-long wonderland at Canyon Park. Admission is $5 per carload.
Perhaps Nephi could have a light parade which would lead from the park to the county building where residents could participate by attending the Christmas pageant.
“We could have a competition and offer a prize for the best float,” Wilkey said.
Thanksgiving Point in Lehi also has a drive-through Christmas light show that begins the end of November.
Nephi council members were shocked when they found out how many hundreds of thousands of dollars Thanksgiving Point paid for the lights they use, and realized that it would be impossible to have that kind of a display the first year.
Peterson said that, in Delta, the city has a celebration where a tree-lighting ceremony is held followed by a light parade featuring floats decorated with lights. She said it was a good idea to begin such a tradition by inviting groups that are already organized, such as the high school honor society, for example, to decorate a flatbed truck with lights for the event.
Kent Park, council member, said that the Price area celebrates one entire week. Helper starts the Christmas season with a lights-on ceremony and a candle light walk up the street. Short entertainment is provided and then the evening is celebrated with the lighting of the town Christmas lights and a visit from Santa at the Civic Auditorium.
Later, there are two night’s of Helper’s annual Electric light Parade. A light parade full of Christmas lights covering every inch of the floats can be seen anywhere on main street. After the second night of the Electric Light Parade, the night ends with a Christmas Fireworks display choreographed to Christmas music.
Manti celebrates with early shopping, a Santa visit, a movie, refreshments and a light parade.
Park said that Nephi could have a rubber duck race down Salt Creek to raise money for the sub for Santa program.
Jones said that in the Provo/Orem area such rubber duck races are held with people paying for a duck with a number. When the first duck is lifted from the water, its owner receives a prize, a car.
Peterson said the Arts Council will hold a 45-minute long Christmas pageant this year.
“It will be a theatrical reproduction of the Christmas story along with poetry and music,” she said.
It will be performed on Nov. 16 and 17.
The annual Christmas Craft and Food Fair will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the gym used by the senior citizen’s group in the county building.
Once again, said Peterson, the Art’s Council is planning to hold the Christmas Tree Charity Auction.
“Last year, each tree was decorated and donated in its entirety by individuals and groups throughout the community,” said Peterson. “At the tree auction, other generous individuals, groups and businesses purchased the trees. All of the proceeds went to our local Sub for Santa, totaling over $3,000.
There are several ways to help, she said. An artificial tree that may be decorated could be donated, a three or wreath could be decorated and donated or could be donated undecorated.
The auction will be held in the county building auditorium on Friday, Nov.. 16, at 8 p.m. following the pageant.
The names of the winning bidders will be displayed with the trees during the festival.
“Our biggest concern is to get more people involved,” said Woodland.
The Arts Council volunteers would like to work with the city council to make the Christmas season in Nephi City more memorable.
However, they would need the city to find someone to head up the parade.
“We are moms,” said Peterson. “We have called on the young people in our community to help. They do great things.”
One concern, said Peterson, might be the needed permit from UDOT to use Main Street for a parade because they required a permit.
Randy McKnight, city administrator, said that would not be a problem. City staff obtains the permits needed by the Ute Stampede for the three-days of parades held during the annual event.
“I do not anticipate that it would be a problem,” he said.
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