Tree lighting, open house at HSH and parade happening in Dec.
Page 4 • Wednesday, November 14, 2018 • The Hammonton Gazette
TREE, from Page 1
the holiday season with an
evening full of holiday cheer and
family fun.
“it’s such a big event, and so
many people come downtown to
see it,” Dawn Baldwin, chair of
MainStreet
Hammonton’s
Downtown
Christmas Tree
Lighting event committee, said.
Before the town tree is lit, it will
be decorated with thousands of
white lights, a new star and dozens
of ornaments sponsored by local
businesses/families and dedicated
in memory of various loved ones
during the holiday season.
The ceremony will begin with
an hour of entertaining, holiday-
themed performances courtesy of
Dance Magic Dance Studio and
Paul Morris DanceXplosion, local
singer and Hammonton High
School graduate zachary Taglioli,
several local school choirs and
more.
Councilman Thomas
Gribbin will the night’s emcee
according to his facebook page.
Before a firetruck wrapped in
Christmas lights arrives at 7 p.m.
with Santa Claus—who will
officially light the tree—
Hammonton resident and local
stage actor richard Curcio will
deliver an authentic and
demonstrative performance of
Clement Clarke Moore’s classic
Christmas poem, “A Visit from St.
Nicholas (’Twas the Night Before
Christmas)” on the Central
Avenue stage.
Curcio said he has spent the past
40 years performing on stage,
including several performances
with southern New Jersey theatre
troupes, The Cumberland Players
and The Off Broad Street Players.
However, Curcio said the night of
the Downtown Christmas Tree
Lighting ceremony is especially
memorable because it allows him
to take his talents outdoors and
help his hometown get into the
holiday spirit.
“i just love performing in town
and helping people of my
hometown start the holiday
season. it’s just a really joyful
night and everybody—Dawn
Baldwin and the MainStreet
organization—everybody does
such a fantastic job organizing it,”
Curcio said.
To further add to the festive feel
of the evening, several downtown
businesses will be open later than
usual and will be offering various
promotions. This year’s ceremony
will mark the first since
Mannino’s Cannoli express
opened its first brick-and-mortar
storefront location at 220 Bellevue
Ave. Those looking to warm up in
the cold December weather can
head to Mannino’s Cannoli
express for a cup of hot apple
cider or hot chocolate, or they can
visit Mannino’s Cannoli cart for
any holiday treats during the
ceremony.
Mannino’s Cannoli express
Owner Gabriella Mannino-
Tomasello has been attending the
Downtown
Tree
Lighting
Ceremony for several years—both
as a business owner and with her
family for fun—and said it’s a
unique event that creates a very
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joyful
and
harmonious
environment throughout the
downtown area of town.
“The decorations, the holiday
spirit and everyone coming
together as a whole downtown
family is great,” Mannino-
Tomasello said.
This year’s ceremony will be
the third since gourmet olive oil
and balsamic vinegar shop Tales
of the Olive opened downtown at
218 Bellevue Ave. Store owner
Kelly Brown said the Downtown
Christmas
Tree
Lighting
Ceremony not only marks the
beginning of the local holiday
season in town, but also
commences the busiest period of
her business operations. To
celebrate the start of the season,
those attending the tree lighting
can visit Tales of the Olive for a
special sale on various items, as
well as the return of the hot
chocolate bar, which Brown said
was well-received during last
year’s ceremony.
Brown said she is looking
forward to celebrating another tree
lighting, for it brings with it an
overarching sense of holiday cheer
and compassion among the
community.
“it’s a great time for giving, and
giving back to loyal customers …
i like to be able to reach out to
everybody and show what our
community is about. it’s a time for
cheer and happiness and joy
throughout the season,” Brown
said.
After Santa arrives and
magically lights the tree, he will
go to Wells fargo Bank for a
meet-and-greet
with
local
children.
The fun doesn’t stop after the
tree is lit, for there will be horse-
drawn carriage rides available in
front of the Hammonton family
Success Center, located at 310
Bellevue Ave; strolling carolers
walking down Bellevue Avenue
and a live nativity scene in front of
St Joseph’s High School on Vine
Street courtesy of Victory Bible
Church.
Also on Vine Street, this year’s
tree lighting will once again
coincide with the Historical
Society of Hammonton’s (HSH)
Christmas open house, which will
take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at
the HSH museum, located at 333
Vine St. within Veterans Memorial
Park.
During the open house, there
will be an exhibition about the
town’s railroad history on display
featuring vintage railroad artifacts,
model trains from throughout
history, an operating holiday train
layout and more. There will also
be a live theatrical performance
from the members of Hammonton
Towne Drama.
HSH President Anne Marie
DeCicco said the HSH has
received a considerable turnout
since it began hosting its
Christmas open house on the night
of the tree lighting. This year,
DeCicco said she is expecting
another large crowd due to the
comprehensive train exhibition
assembled
throughout
the
museum.
“We have a great turnout, and i
think it’s going to be good with the
trains … it’s going to be a great
setup … There’s just so much; it’s
unbelievable,” DeCicco said.
There will be holiday cheer and
fun for the whole family at every
corner throughout downtown
Hammonton as the holiday season
begins the night of the tree
lighting. Baldwin said the moment
after Santa arrives and the tree is
lit is one that she looks forward to
each year because it instills the joy
and spirit of the holiday season in
many of the people that attend the
ceremony, even if just for one
night.
“it’s just a happy moment and i
hope everybody tries to carry that
moment that they feel it with them
throughout the holidays for their
friends and family,” Baldwin said.
Those still in the holiday spirit
after the Downtown Tree Lighting
Ceremony can keep the joy going
the following week during the
annual Hammonton independent
Volunteer
fire
Department
Christmas Parade on Saturday,
December 8 at 7 p.m. on Bellevue
Avenue.
The annual tradition will allow
several
participating
fire
departments and area community
organizations to celebrate the
holiday season by strolling down
Bellevue Avenue in decorated
trucks and floats. Also, Santa
Claus will return to Hammonton
during the parade.
Departments and organizations
interested in participating in the
parade can register by calling
(609) 567-4300 ext. 390 and
leaving a voicemail. Participants
are asked to report to Hammonton
Middle School, located at 75 N.
Liberty St. at 6 p.m. on the night
of the parade to line up. There will
be a trophy presentation after the
parade behind the judges stand on
Bellevue and Central Avenues.
for more information, visit
www.facebook.com/Hammonton
fire.