By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
Santa and Mrs. Claus joined Mayor Dorinda Borer and her special guest, St. Lawrence School fourth grader Madeline Rivera, to light the West Haven Green Christmas Tree during the city’s annual holiday kickoff Nov. 29.
After arriving in the West Haven Fire Department’s 1935 Mack pump firetruck, Santa and Mrs. Claus were escorted to a portable stage on the Main Street side of the Green by the West Haven High School cheerleading team to shouts of glee from hundreds of bundled-up merrymakers.
The stage was decked out with giant presents that lit up each side.
Before the lighting, Kim Kenny, the master of ceremonies, thanked and lauded Borer’s special guest as the all-ages crowd clapped and cheered.
Borer then lead revelers in a countdown before Madeline, 9, pushed down on a gift-wrapped plunger box to set the tree — and the Green — aglow.
Right – Members of the West Haven High School Theatre Workshop bring the holiday spirit with Frosty the Snowman and the Grinch.
Before their long sleigh ride back to the North Pole, Santa and Mrs. Claus greeted children and posed for photos.
The city’s official Christmas tree was adorned with light strands with multicolored LED bulbs, and the 5-acre Green was bedecked with new decorations and lights, including garland and large snowflakes on the John C. Ireland Bandstand and the Victorian lampposts.
The three-hour event opened with welcoming remarks by Borer and Kenny and followed with spirited performances by the West Haven High dance team, the Mulkerin School of Irish Dance and Top Hat Dance Academy, as well as a Grinch skit by West Haven High’s Theatre Workshop.
The dance team was directed by Lizz Petrakis, Mulkerin by Kathy Carew, Top Hat by Sharon Minnix and the theatre workshop by Christina Nolan.
The event was presented by the city and West Haven United, an organization aimed at bringing the city’s volunteer groups together and led by co-Chairs Rosella Crowley and Jaime Connellan.
DJ Bob DePascale, accompanied by daughter Ashley DePascale and grandson Dylan Walsh, played holiday-themed music while costumed Christmas characters Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman entertained families around the downtown park.
Youngsters received stuffed animals from the West Haven Fire Department through a donation from PetSmart of Orange.
Along with firetruck rides and hayrides, kids were treated to rides on the Roaming Railroad.
The festivities featured demonstrations by West Haven police K-9 Sgt. Thomas Marchitto and his police dog, Ado, as well as sing-alongs of Yuletide classics.
The evening of merriment also included an inflatable Santa’s village and craft stations where children decorated ornaments, wrote letters to Santa and made cards for patients at the West Haven VA Medical Center.
Just steps from Santa’s workshop, boys and girls dropped off wish lists at St. Nick’s official U.S. Postal Service mailbox.
Food trucks — Louise’s Homemade Food & Baked Goods, Don Empanadas and Crave — sold eats and sweets, and volunteers from West Haven United sold hot chocolate and other refreshments.