Tree Lighting festivities announced
Stephanie Yost
Idyllwild Community Center
Idyllwild’s Tree Lighting Ceremony, to be held Saturday, Nov. 27, will honor traditions old and new.
This year’s traditional festivities include two live entertainment stages, numerous activities, snack and gift booths local nonprofit groups will manage, roaming costume characters, three food vendors and a sleigh for family photos. The booths will open at 2 p.m., live entertainment will begin at 4 p.m. and the trees will be lit around 5:15 p.m. by the lucky winner of the “Flip the Switch” raffle (tickets will be on sale that afternoon in Idypark from 2 to 5 p.m.).
Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive courtesy of an Idyllwild Fire Department fire truck at the Village Centre gazebo for free visits from 1 to 3 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m. Mayor Max and his dedicated staff also will be available to greet visitors at the event.
Following a newer tradition begun in 2019, the Idyllwild Community Center (ICC), which manages the event, will light all eight trees in Idypark rather than just a single tree, as was done previously. This year’s tree donors, whose financial sponsorships primarily pay for the event, are Ferro Restaurant, Idyllwild Brewpub, Idyllwild Inn, Idyllwild Heating and Cooling, the Idyllwild Association of Realtors and Ground Floor Design Inc. (the local architect of ICC’s pending new community center building that will be located next to the Idyllwild Community Playground). Piño Tree Service also will have a tree in appreciation for its efforts to put up and remove the lights.
The largest tree, however, will be designated this year in honor of Doug Austin, aka “Mr. Idyllwild,” who sadly passed earlier this month. Austin, who was well known throughout the Hill communities for his many years of service, generosity, kindness and wit, also was a regular participant in the annual Tree Lighting program with his engaging rendition of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” with the Olde English Players.
Individual donations to ICC sponsored this tree, with any added funds raised to be donated to local nonprofit organizations as directed by Austin’s family. Funds may be donated throughout the holiday season via ICC’s website (idyllwildcommunitycenter.org) or by mail (Idyllwild Community Center, P.O. Box 1770).
