Story posted Thursday, November 12, 2009
Let There Be Light
Village Gears Up For Holiday Tree Ceremony
Rich Kulczak of Holiday Design hangs lights around the village green in Elk Grove on Nov. 9.
Crews began hanging a quarter of a million holiday lights in downtown Elk Grove Village last week, all in preparation for the village's tree lighting extravaganza on Friday, Nov. 27.
Gloria Juhas of Kenilworth Avenue donated this year's holiday tree. Each year a tree is chosen from a list of residents who volunteer to have the village take a tree from their property. Village staffers judge trees on fullness and appearance then cut them down at no cost to the homeowner.
Fireworks at this year's tree lighting will be bigger than in past years. The village pays for a fireworks display for three annual events, the Tour of Elk Grove bike race, Rotary Fest and the holiday tree lighting.
This year's Rotary Fest was rained out. The extra munitions that would have been set alight at Rotary Fest were split to make the Tour and holiday lighting displays larger.
Also expected at this year's tree lighting will be live reindeer and a visit from Santa.
Mayor Craig Johnson said Juhas and a special surprise guest would help flip the switch to turn on the tree lights this year.
Village contractors are not the only ones lighting up the village for the holidays. The Elk Grove Jaycees will be traveling village streets through the holiday season in search of the most impressively decorated holiday homes.
Putting up the rest of the village's holiday lights takes several weeks at a cost of about $35,000, said Johnson.
Workers have a slightly different configuration to light this year with a new village hall and village green.
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