The crowd numbered in the thousands Saturday evening in Shepard Park as the Village of Lake George welcomed the 2021 holiday season with the 23rd Annual Lite up the Village celebration.
Bobby Dick and Suzie Q kicked off the festivities with their show of traditional and modern holiday songs. Children, from toddlers to teens, joined them on the stage to sing and dance to songs such as “Jingle Bells” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Elsa from the movie “Frozen” made a guest appearance to lead the chorus in “Let it Go.”
Nearly two dozen people entered the Ugly Sweater Contest this year each trying to outdo the others wearing sweaters that blinked with holiday lights and were embellished with ornaments, garlands and holiday-themed appliqué. While several of the contestants were local Lake George/Glens Falls area folk, many came from the Albany area, New England and one contestant claimed Boynton Beach, Florida as her home. Mary Young of Marshfield, Massachusetts, who entered the contest at the urging of her grandson, took home the $250 grand prize. The contest was limited to adults, but Lake George Village Mayor Robert Blais pledged to add a Junior Ugly Sweater Contest to lite up the Village next year.
Marine Corps League Sr. Vice Commandant Lynn Stanton took the stage to thank the community, the Lake George Winter Carnival Committee, Mayor Blais and Bebob’s Backstreet BBQ for their support of the Marine’s Toys for Girls and Boys toy drive, noting this is the 75th year they have collected toys for local children. Backstreet BBQ, 75 Dieskau Street in the Village, is a drop-off spot for donations of new, unwrapped toys. They will be collecting toys through Dec. 18.
Mayor Blais called Carl and Debra (Buster and Debbie) Alberino, owners of the Lake George Baking Company, to the stage and awarded them the Citizen of the Year award. Blais cited their devotion to community and involvement in charity events as the reason they were selected for this year’s honor.
Just before 6 p.m., Bobby Dick led the crowd in a count down leading to the flick of a switch that illuminated more than 2,500 LED holiday lights throughout Shepard Park, Blais Park and snowflakes up and down Canada Streets. The Village lighting was followed by a fireworks display over Lake George and a parade of lighted fire trucks, which traveled down Canada Street. Eleven local fire companies participated in the procession competing for $1,500 in prize money. The Lighted Fire Truck Parade competition results, as reported by Angela Vernum of the Lake George American Legion Post:
- 1st place- Horicon
- 2nd place- West Glens Falls
- 3rd place- Bay Ridge
- 4th place- Hague
After the parade, the celebration moved to the Lake George firehouse on Ottawa Street where the Lake George Community Band played traditional holiday tunes as children lined up to meet with Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elves.
The Lake George holiday lights will glow every night through the holiday season.
A marvelous event! I wish I could have been there.
It was fabulous and heartwarming, to see hundreds of happy people take the time to share in our Annual Lite Up the Village festivities!
Once again, it was truly a wonderful evening in Lake George!