Fairfield turns on lights to its Christmas City

FAIRFIELD – Fairfield’s Central Park came alive Friday night with the press of a button that turned on all the festive lights strung around the park.

The Holiday Lighting Ceremony on the Friday after Thanksgiving is an age-old tradition in Fairfield. The Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce selects a special person to do the honors of flipping the switch to turn the lights on, and this year the honoree was Kathy Tollenaere. Tollenaere was one of the two Citizens of the Year announced at this year’s chamber awards banquet, along with Ron Haines.

Tollenaere said it was such a wonderful surprise to learn she would be the one to turn on the lights. She was especially glad to do it with all of her family in attendance. Tollenaere’s daughter Cheryl and her family live in Omaha, while Keith and his family live in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Neither of them were able to come for the chamber awards banquet in April, but everyone in the family was able to come for the Holiday Lighting Ceremony. In fact, Tollenaere actually got to surprise them because they didn’t know she would be honored when they came to Central Park.

“I like the idea of the Citizen of the Year doing this,” Tollenaere said. “Ron was going to do it, too, but he couldn’t be there. It did make me feel very special, so that was cool.”

Tollenaere was named Citizen of the Year because of her tireless volunteerism that includes helping at the First United Methodist Church, teaching Sunday school, serving at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Fairfield Visitor’s Bureau, Habitat for Humanity, Greater Jefferson County Foundation Board and several others.

Something new for this year’s ceremony was giving the honoree a decorated box with a lever at the top called a plunger that, when pressed, turned on the lights, or at least it appeared that way to those present. Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mendy McAdams said this allowed the honoree to remain at center stage, near the bandstand where the rest of the proceedings had taken place, such as songs courtesy of the FHS choir. This was also more convenient for Fairfield Media Center’s livestreaming of the event.

McAdams said she was thrilled with how Friday night’s event went. The weather was perfect, and more than 300 people came through the Santa House that evening while enjoying free hot cocoa, cookies and candy canes. After getting their photos with Santa, children went next door to the workshop where they used their photo to make a free Christmas ornament, which this year has a gingerbread house theme.

“One of our board members purchased them, and they’re kid-friendly with stickers and gumdrops, so kids can either decorate them there or decorate them at home,” McAdams said.

In the final days leading up to the ceremony, AERON Lifestyle Technology reached out to McAdams to say the company wanted to contribute to the Santa House. AERON has purchased books for all the children who visit Santa, so kids can take a book home with them at no cost.

“They wanted to bring back that old-fashioned Christmas feel,” McAdams said.

Scooter’s Coffee was also there giving out free samples of coffee and cinnamon rolls, and McAdams said they will likely return to the Santa House.

“I’ve been shocked by how many people came up to me on Thursday and Friday asking how they could support this,” McAdams said. “And we are still looking for volunteers, too. Anyone who wants to volunteer in the Santa House is welcome. Being with these kids will warm the ‘Grinchiest’ of hearts.”

Santa’s House and Workshop will be open to the public every Friday and Saturday from 6-8:30 p.m. through Dec. 23.

If you would like more information about this event or have any questions, contact the chamber at 641-472-2111 or email Info@FairfieldIowa.com.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com