FALMOUTH – The small town holiday celebration felt bigger this year as officials agreed to close Main Street and add extra entertainment all evening for the traditional Lighting of the Village Green during annual Falmouth’s Holidays By The Sea celebration.
Crowds of people turned out to stroll up and down Main Street, making the celebration feel even more festive than usual.
This way to small town fun: The Lighting of the Green in Falmouth, MA.
CAPE COD WAVE PHOTO
Falmouth Police Chief Edward Dunne, who was among those strolling down Main Street on the big night, said the closing of the street had been his suggestion, because of the large number of families with children who attend the event. In past years, after the tree lighting, the crowded sidewalks tended to spill onto Main Street, he said, and therefore he thought it would be safer to simply close the street.
Some were worried that businesses would object but, as it turned out, the chief said, they were on board, along with the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce. Chamber CEO Michael Kasparian in his welcome announcement before the Lighting of the Green, encouraged the crowd to applaud the street closing. When he asked if they wanted it done again next year, he got a resounding affirmative from the crowd.
But then came the serious business of the Lighting of the Green at 7pm. There was a speedy countdown from 10 and then–ah, the lights. Multicolored bulbs traveling up to the top of the pole in the center of the green, with a white star on top.
The Falmouth Town Band Brass Ensemble played holiday songs and hundreds sang. Children lined up to greet Santa and checked out the numerous displays on the green.
It was a small town Christmas made big by the sheer size of the crowd. And with the closing of Main Street, perhaps a new tradition has begun during Falmouth’s Holidays By The Sea.
