Warrensburg ushers in holidays with music, lights and reindeer

A light dusting of snow fell over Warrensburg late Friday night, setting a festive atmosphere for the 24th Annual Christmas in Warrensburgh this weekend, Dec. 1 and 2. The event is a combined effort of the Warrensburgh Beautification Committee and the Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce (note the “h” that ends the town’s name was dropped by the US Postal Service years ago, but some organizations retain it for its old-time appeal.)

The scheduled events began Thursday, Nov. 29, with a potluck buffet and the Adirondack Bucks Market at the Free Methodist Church, and continued through the weekend, at venues throughout the town, with concerts, crafts, cookie walks, and luncheons.

The rows of metal folding chairs that usually furnish the courtroom at the Town Hall were replaced with workstations where busy elves created ornaments, toys, gingerbread houses and decorated Christmas cookies. Out on the lawn, two of Santa’s lesser-known reindeer, Holly and Twinkle, grazed on blades of grass that poked through the new coating of snow. Santa was on hand to visit with children and hand out candy canes.

Throughout the day, the churches in town hosted Christmas bazaars with food and decorations for sale. The parish hall at St. Cecilia’s was festooned with more than two dozen miniature trees, all lit and decorated. The trees were sold in a Chinese auction to raise funds for the 2013 youth mission to Rhode Island.

Saturday night a small crowd gathered at the bandstand in the town center, entertained with a holiday music performance by the Warrensburg Elementary School band. Father Thomas Pettigrew of the Church of the Holy Cross blessed the town Christmas tree, and Santa Claus arrived to throw the light switch.

Echo Lake Lodge on Hudson Street was the site of the Chamber of Commerce Holiday Craft Fair on Sunday. Local artists and crafters had a wide assortment of items for sale including quilts, hand knit scarves and hats, unique jewelry, Christmas decorations and food items.