Herndon residents will have ample opportunities to celebrate the 2007 holiday season with their neighbors. A series of events organized by local civic groups and the Town of Herndon is scheduled to provide celebratory opportunities for Herndon residents of all ages.
"It’s fun holiday stuff to do with your family," said Grace Wolf, president of the Council for the Arts of Herndon. She said it is an opportunity for Herndon residents to start family holiday traditions or to become a part of a town-wide celebration.
The kickoff event for the series, Herndon’s Hometown Holidays, is the open house at Fortnightly Library on Saturday, Dec. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. However, the Towne Square Singers will start their performances on Thursday, Nov. 29, at Elden Street Players’ Industrial Strength Theater at 7 p.m.
"This is a time when people lighten up a bit," said Herndon Town Council Member and one of the Towne Square Singers Harlon Reece. "People’s hearts get a little warmer," he said about the holiday season. Of the annual events on the schedule, Reece said his favorite is the holiday tree lighting and sing-along. This year’s tree lighting will take place on Saturday, Dec. 1. "I really do like the Christmas tree lighting. It brings people out to the town square," said Reece.
Another person who favors the tree lighting is Eileen Curtis, president of the Dulles Chamber of Commerce. "It is just a fabulous event," said Curtis. "It blends in the multiple talents of the community." Curtis said that the entire series of events is a celebration of "yesteryear." It is reminiscent of the days when entire neighborhoods celebrated the holidays together.
Other events in the series include performances by local theater and music groups at Elden Street Players’ Industrial Strength Theatre. There will also be a model train show, an event Wolf said draws people from great distances. The Herndon Downtown Alliance and the Herndon Historical Society are sponsoring the event that will feature model trains on display at the historic Train Depot and the Herndon Municipal Center on the weekend of Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. There will also be a birthday celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the Herndon Depot.
The Cultivating Community Initiative is also sponsoring a competition for Herndon’s homeowners, "Dress Up Herndon for the Holidays." The decoration contest is open to all Town residents and nominations should be sent to Meg Murphy at margaret.murphy@herndon-va.gov by Dec. 6. On Dec. 10, judges will walk through Herndon to determine the winner of the contest.
Wolf said that Herndon’s Hometown Holidays is a nice way to kickoff the holiday season. "There is something every weekend," she said. "A fun, positive, family experience. It is good quality entertainment without having to travel a million miles for it," said Wolf.