Crowd Braves the Rain and Sleet for Annual Tree Lighting

A couple hundred people huddled under umbrellas as rain and sleet fell on the annual tree lighting ceremony in Amherst Village on Friday night.

It was a festive crowd, despite the weather, singing Christmas carols and loudly counting down to light the tree, before many people made their way up the street to listen to music by the Amherst Christmas Brass Quintet and enjoy a Lion's Club-sponsored spaghetti supper at the Amherst Congregational Church. 

Event organizer Ann Bergin said in at least as many years as she's been organizing the event – 36 years – the event has never been canceled. Even one year when there was a terrible ice storm and only a handful of people made it out to watch the tree be lit without the fanfare of music and a visit from Santa.

The event has traditionally been held the second Sunday in December, Bergin said, but three years ago, they moved it to Friday during that same weekend, in an attempt to make it more family-friendly. She said parents didn't like keeping their kids out on a school night and Saturday wasn't the right fit either.

Friday, a night often reserved for families, Bergin said, appears to be the best one for the event.

"We still had a bigger crowd here tonight in the rain than we did the last 10 years (it was held) on Sunday," Bergin said.

In addition to the lighting of the Christmas tree, several local groups joined master of ceremonies Peter Bergin on the stage to lead the crowd in Christmas carols. Santa arrived to the delight of children during a verse of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and it was announced that the proceeds from this year's memory tree will go to the  Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

The tree lighting has become the annual kick off of a weekend full of holiday events.

Are you going to be out and about? Share your photos from this weekend's holiday celebration in Amherst by emailing them to Amherst Patch editor Carolyn Dube at Carolyn.Dube@patch.com or by uploading them to our Holidays in Amherst Board found here. 

Below is the schedule for the rest of this weekend's events:

Saturday, Dec. 7 ~ "Santa Saturday"

9-11 a.m.: Congregational Church – Breakfast with Santa. For tickets, contact Jessica Steele at NHNewcomers@gmail.com 

9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Amherst Middle School – Lions Club Craft Fair 

2-5 p.m.: Fire Station – Girl Scouts Craft fair and holiday cookie swap. Historical Society booth and gifts.

3-5 p.m.: Fire Station – Santa Arrives By Fire Truck. Free pictures with Santa when you bring your own camera.

2-4 p.m.: Fire Station –  Team Earley’s Cocoa and Cookies.

3-5 p.m.: Police Station – Open house, meet your APD officers! Free child protective IDs and fingerprinting.

Sunday, Dec. 8  ~ "Concerts Sunday!"

8-11 a.m.: Fire Station – Breakfast with Mrs. Claus. Donations accepted, no 
reservations needed.

11 a.m.-4 p.m.: LaBelle Winery Route 101 – Holiday Bazaar.

1-2 p.m.: Congregational Church – free holiday concert. Town Band and SHS a cappella singers.

3-4:30 p.m.: Congregational Church – Free holiday concert by Congregational Church Choirs.

6 p.m.: Souhegan High School – Souhegan Valley Chorus Concert. Tickets at door - Adults $15; Seniors/Students $10; 12 and younger are free.