Dec. 30—Rainy weather has put a damper on this year’s Festival of Lights in Neahwa Park in Oneonta, but the weather forecast for New Year’s Eve has organizers hopeful for a big turnout for some First Night festivities.
“New Year’s Eve is supposed to be nice, warm and dry,” First Night Oneonta Board Chair Carol Mandigo said.
She said there will be a heated tent set up near the basketball courts where people can watch Mike the Juggler, Cosmic Karma Fire and DrumQuest perform from 5 to 8 p.m. The Hill City Ice Queen will also be in attendance and there will be free hot chocolate and popcorn available. People will also be able to walk through the lighted archway and drive around the light displays.
In addition to watching the entertainment, attendees will vote for their favorite light display, she said. The committee has been compiling a poll of what exhibits people have liked, and so far the Casella Waste Systems display of the Grinch using a Dumpster as a sleigh has been a favorite, Mandigo said. Another creative display garnering discussion is the Lions Club fishing derby display, which includes a life-like mannequin fly fishing.
“So many people have been freaked out about that display because they think it’s a real person,” she said.
The display was created by Jeff Powell, and Mandigo has seen people taking selfies with the mannequin, she said.
“Who would have thought we would have had so much rain?” she asked. “Last year, we had lots of snow and this year, the ground isn’t even frozen.”
She said it poured Dec. 18, the opening night of the festival, which deterred some people from getting out of their cars to enjoy the entertainment provided. Even though it rained, the committee served hot chocolate to 150 people. Since opening night, the three generators the committee had to work some of the lights broke down, but all of the lights have worked using electrical outlets around the park.
“Luckily, the city installed more electric outlets in the fall and we are running 100% off the park electricity,” she said. “We were going to put up a lot more lights, but we couldn’t because of all of the rain.”
Mandigo said she was headed to a farm in Milford Wednesday to get hay to put on the lighted arched walkway so people wouldn’t slip in the mud.
She said next spring, the city plans to install more electric outlets so the festival can grow next year. Mandigo said she is retiring from her role as a prevention specialist at Leatherstocking Education on Alcoholism/Addictions Foundation in January, but is handing her First Night reins over to Ashley Behrenfeld at LEAF.
“She has a strategic plan to create more alcohol-free, tobacco-free events,” she said. “I’m so excited a younger person will be taking over for me. She’s been there night and day helping with the lights.”
People will have a chance to see the light display through Jan. 3. The displays will be taken down next week, but until they are taken down, they will continue to be lit at night, she said.
Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221. Follow her @DS_VickyK on Twitter.
Credit: Source link
