This year’s Lights on the River Festival, hosted by the Historic Owego Marketplace, is back with plans to be bigger and better than ever! Planned for Friday evening, Dec. 2, and running from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., guests will flock to downtown Owego for festivities throughout the village along with the popular lighting of the lights on the Court Street Bridge and light poles around town. The sky will ignite with a grand fireworks display at the conclusion of the event.
The event recently switched things up a bit to offer a Whoville theme, welcoming The Grinch, his dog, and all of the famous characters that the movie gained its fame from. One might see a Cindy Lou Who or two.
Whoville characters could be found during last year’s Lights on the River Festival. This year carries the same festive theme. (File Photo / Wendy Post)
In the famous movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Grinch hated Christmas, and wanted to make all of the Who’s in Whoville as miserable as he is. But that didn’t quite work out in the end and is not the case in Owego, either, as the Grinch can be found at the event taking selfies with his fans, or fixing those pearly whites for another snapshot with his favorite Who.
So dress up in your “Who” best and head down to the village for an evening filled with absolute holiday magic, and there will be plenty for everyone to do around town.
Also special to this year’s event is a new Christmas tree that will be lit up on the Courthouse Square on Friday; folks can swing by around 6 p.m. to watch as the lights are turned on, illuminating the village.
Rick Ford, from the Village of Owego Department of Public Works, places lights around the newly installed tree on the Courthouse last week, and in preparation for Friday’s Lights on the River event in downtown Owego. (Photo by Wendy Post)
According to Janelle Malia, HOM member, the Village of Owego and several volunteers built a metal Christmas tree stand for a 20-30 foot tree that will be lit on Friday. The stand to secure the tree was buried in the ground so it is ready for use each year. She noted that the steel came from Weitsman’s for the tree stand, Jon Boland and friends volunteered to build it, and the village dug the hole on the courthouse square. Wagner Lumber donated the tree, and HOM is purchasing its lights.
Last week we went out to take a look at the tree, and while they were installing the lights. We also had reports that several other trees were missing from the Courthouse Square but learned, upon further investigation, that the trees removed were dead, and that when workers attempted to install the lights the branches were breaking, making this a safety issue.
Rick Ford, from the Village of Owego Department of Public Works, and Dave Thompson place lights around the newly installed tree on the Courthouse last week, and in preparation for Friday’s Lights on the River event in downtown Owego. (Photo by Wendy Post)
Although it was decided to remove the dead trees while work on installing the Christmas Tree was being performed, Rick Ford, from Owego’s DPW, stated that new trees will be put in where the dead ones were removed.
Ford, along with Joe Miner and Dave Thompson worked diligently to get the tree up last week, and to string the lights around the entire tree, top to bottom. On Friday, and at 6 p.m., Mayor Mike Baratta and Santa himself will turn on the lights for the new tree.
Rick Ford, from the Village of Owego Department of Public Works, and Dave Thompson check the power box for the newly installed tree on the Courthouse last week, and in preparation for Friday’s Lights on the River event in downtown Owego. (Photo by Wendy Post)
Also new this year is a Lighted ATV Parade that begins at the county building at 56 Main St. at 7 p.m. The parade, escorted by police, will travel down Court Street to Main Street, and then down Lake Street. The decorated machines will be judged, with prizes awarded.
On Lake Street, and in the recently vacated Farmhouse Brewery building at 17 Lake St. that is owned by Ike and Julie Lovelass, Lucky Hare Brewing from Hector will be doing a pop-up event during Lights on the River on Friday to fill in the space left behind by the former brewery.
“We bought all of Marty’s taproom stuff in an effort to create a turn key operation for another brewery, so come and join us,” said Julie.
Equipment needed to bury the new tree stand sits on the Courthouse Square ahead of the installation of the new tree on the Courthouse Square. (Photo by JoAnn R. Walter)
Other activities include Letters to Santa at Black Cat Gallery from 5-7:30 p.m., Make a Holiday Card at Tioga Arts Council from 5-8 p.m., Musicians at the Visitors Center, Live Reindeer in the M&T parking lot, the Reading Partnership Bus at the M&T Lot with free books for kids, the Owego Middle School Music Group at the Courthouse Square, TADA Dance Group, Rowdy the Rumble Pony, Santa and The Grinch, the OFA Chamber Singers, the Barbershop Quartet – Group Therapy, Purple Lightning Band, jugglers, magicians, the OFA Saxophone Quartet, the Light Up Parade, and much more.
And don’t forget the fireworks at 8 p.m., sponsored by Empire Access Fiber Optics. Other sponsors for the event include Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar, The Laughing Place, John Barleycorn, and Van Horn Jewelers.
The new tree is delivered and ready to install, trim, and decorate on the Courthouse Square in Owego, and during Friday’s Lights on the River Festival, taking place in downtown Owego. (Photo by Brenda Thornton)
According to Pat Hansen, an organizer for the event, there will be a lot of food and craft vendors as well. “There will be a little bit of something for everyone,” said Hansen.
For a full list of activities and events, visit www.owego.org.
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