Decorations for A December to Remember were the main topic for the event’s committee that met Thursday evening at the Elks lodge.
The December 5 celebration will be a drive-thru at the Fairgrounds, with floats lined along the track and families driving by. The committee’s been meeting since spring to plan the event and firmed up more details on Thursday.
Fair Board President Doug Cater said the grounds will be decorated with lights, and the Elvis statue, present during the Fair, will be part of the display.
“I think the whole grounds will be pretty sharp,” Mr. Cater said.
Decorations and floats will be along the Fairgrounds route, which will be around the track, behind the grandstand and exit onto East MacArthur Avenue.
Fundraising is ongoing, and First New York Federal Credit Union has agreed to donate $1,500 for renting the Fairgrounds, said committee chair Anna Marie Collins.
Admission will be by donation per car.
Ms. Collins and her husband, Jim, delivered letters promoting a house-decorating contest to South Grand Street residents, so that the main route to the Fairgrounds will look festive.
They received a good response, Ms. Collins said.
Also, she said, four huts colored green and cranberry will be delivered to the Fairgrounds on Thursday.
The committee will get 20 trees from Tina Rogan in Worcester and will deliver them to the Fairgrounds on Friday. Groups will decorate the trees; Pastor Ray Richards, a committee member, said church congregations are interested in decorating some of the trees.
Congregations are also in charge of a nativity scene, and “our goal is to have tons of animals,” Pastor Richards said.
He added that because A December to Remember runs from 5pm to 9pm on the 5th and weather may be cold, the plan is to rotate animals in and out of the nativity scene.
Noting that churches “have been very collaborative about A December to Remember, Pastor Richards said many have agreed to ring their bells each hour of the celebration for 30 seconds or a minute.
Tim Purcell of Grapevine Farms contributed lighted Santa hats and necklaces of Christmas lights that committee members will wear on the 5th.
Anne Rogan of the Cobleskill Rotary Club reported that members will hand out tiny bells to cars, and it was agreed that candy canes will be distributed to cars at the end of the route.
“It’s going to be a knockout,” Ms. Collins said of the celebration.