Holiday Stroll succeeds under new leadership

NEW LONDON — The New London Holiday Stroll came to town over the weekend, with the familiar sight of Christmas lights, a holiday parade, horse-drawn carriages and bubbles over the streets.

For several years, the event’s “Head Stroller” has been Linda Vacek. While she technically maintained that title this year, she said the torch had functionally been passed to a new head organizer, Chelsea Boecker.

Vacek said she was ready to give someone else the reins.

“It’s a lot of planning, a lot, and you’ve got to remember everything and there’s little details,” she said. “When you see it all come together, that’s the best part … but then, tomorrow, I’ll be hurting, because there’s a lot of running around.”

Boecker said it was a big responsibility to manage the event, but one she welcomed.

“I enjoy doing it,” she said. “I think, as a kid raised off Clark Griswold, ‘Christmas Vacation,’ having this is like having my dream come true, of being able to be a Clark Griswold.”

It’s no small feat to bring everything together. Boecker said the stroll took extensive planning.

“There’s only four active members of the stroll … it’s an all-year thing for us,” she said. “We have a lot of events that lead up to this one night, and it costs roughly $2,500-$2,700 to do the stroll … it’s free for the public, but it costs money to run, so we’re so thankful to all our sponsors, and the donations, and the businesses that are (here.)”

Boecker said the night went well, and featured a new live music performance alongside Santa during the holiday parade.

“Streets were packed, we had a lot of people show up,” she said. “We’ve had everything go over pretty smoothly … we try to always change it up, and I think having a live singer just kind of added something different.”

Holiday lights hung up around the small town brought hundreds of people into the streets for the yearly festivities. Boecker said it was a nostalgic experience.

“New London is a small-knit community ... people know that, so they show up to make it extra special,” she said. “I think it’s just that old-fashioned Christmas that everyone’s looking for … your kids are there, and they’re having fun, that hits home for a parent.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com