When is the right time to put up holiday decorations and begin singing Christmas carols? For Midway, it’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
That’s when the community held its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, complete with fireworks, reindeer and a visit from Santa Claus.
Serena Jones, 17, watched the high-energy moment as the 50-foot-tall evergreen tree began shining, wrapped to its top limbs with holiday lights. Hundreds gathered at the base of the tree and around the town hall, holding candles and standing with loved ones.
“Everyone was like ‘Woo!’ and screaming,” Jones said, smiling.
Booming fireworks blasted overhead to “oohs” and “ahhs” in the crowd. Then, lines formed for hot chocolate, candy bags, photos with Santa Claus and his reindeer after the fireworks show finale.
Serena said she has been attending tree lighting ceremonies in Midway since she was 8 years old. When asked how it compares as a teen, she said the event holds up.
“It’s still really good,” Serena said. She held a bag of candy packed with cinnamon bears, caramel, white chocolate-covered pretzels and peanuts.
This year, Serena helped her mother, Melissa, with volunteer work for the festival. Melissa also brought along her mom, Kathy Ward, who traveled from Paonia, Colorado, to visit family. The three generations of women helped herd eager attendees waiting for a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus and his elf.
Melissa said volunteering on Saturday was smooth sailing.
“I expected more chaos, but it’s been really good, and people are very well behaved,” Melissa said.
Ward said she appreciated the event’s atmosphere.
“(I like) the hometown, small-town feel,” Ward said, adding that she enjoyed spending time with her daughter and granddaughter.
Shane Owens, who has worked for Midway City’s public works department for more than 25 years, said he is a frequent attendee at the tree lighting festival. Some of his early memories as a kid include going to the event with his grandfather.
The tree lighting has changed over the years, he said. Each one has performances and candy bags, but Owens said it has evolved for the better with a better light show and fireworks.
“When I started coming, my grandfather was mayor. I would come over and help hand out candy; we would set up chairs and everything,” Owens said, adding that the celebration has been happening in different fashions since the 1960s.
Owens said he has always enjoyed seeing the city come together as a community.
That’s what Cary Hobbes said, too. As the MC of the tree lighting ceremony, his job was to excite the crowd and spread holiday spirit. He stood in a gazebo next to the town hall, microphone in hand, leading the crowd in a sing-along.
“We prepared for 10,000 with the sound system, but I don’t think we had that many,” Hobbes said.
Hobbes is a highly experienced MC used to kicking off events in Midway; he’s also done the job for the annual Swiss Days festival.
“Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,” “White Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” were favorites, according to Hobbes. Though there was not a crowd of 10,000, the event was busy enough to pack the town square and then some.
“We all gather in the town square, and it’s symbolic of what Midway is all about: community,” Hobbes said.
Midway’s tree lighting celebration kicked off the tradition in the Wasatch Back. Coalville will host its own tree lighting on Thursday, followed by a celebration in Heber City the following evening.