A behind the scenes look at what it takes to turn Norwich into the Christmas City

Santa's Little Helpers

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Story by Lisa Miceli Feliciano Photos courtesy The Bulletin

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a winter festival since 1992, the parade itself dates back to 1987. ho doesnt love a parade, and In 2011, the parade and City Hall lighting were, for the rst a holiday parade, to boot? time, held on the same day. is year, the combined events are scheduled for Nov. 24. Count the Rose of New Coordinating the Winterfest Parade involves a dedicated England as one of its biggest Parade Committee comprised of Norwich residents, business people, representatives of Norwich Free fans. Norwich has immersed Academy and members of the police and itself in the holiday spirit re departments. Planning starts up to a I love a parade; year in advance. every year since 1937, when it e tramping of feet, is volunteer group works hard each I love every beat was dubbed e Christmas year to coordinate fundraising and logistics. I hear of a drum. A separate team of City Hall sta volunteers City by the State of ConI love a parade; time to orchestrate Light Up City Hall. e When I hear a band necticut an appreciative privately funded $5,000 budget for 2012 I just wanna stand will help pay for free entertainment for nod to the dazzling decoraAnd cheer as they come! festivalgoers, but does not include police, tions its residents and busipublic works and other in-kind city services From I Love a Parade, provided. nesses adorned their homes by Harold Arlen and While attendance numbers ebb and Ted Koehler and shops with. ow depending on factors including the Today, 75 years later, Norwich still considers itself Christmas City. e citys modern day festivities include the annual Winterfest Parade and Light Up City Hall. Operating as temperature outside and timing, last years festivities brought as many as 5,000 to the parade route, according to Parade Committee Chairman Dave Wig eld. is is his third year at the helm

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Left: The 1999 holiday parade. Below: An NPU worker a xes a snow ake in downtown Norwich.

Carolers gather at City Hall in 2010.

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(Norwich) is such a nice town and it was a great town for many, many decades; one of the top cities in the state. It would be nice to bring that back."
but like so many parade organizers, hes dedicated his time and e ort to the cause for about 20 years. Wig eld, the president of Stadium Motors in nearby Franklin, provides trailer support for the dozens of oats the Winterfest Parade typically includes. He is also a huge fan of the parade, and is committed to making sure Norwich does it right each year. People that you see along the parade route. ats what I remember the kids with their eyes wide open, really enjoying the activities, said Wig eld. In 1987, the parade started small, but by 1992 had grown into Winter Festival. at year, the city reserved $25,000 in its annual budget for the parade, according to Kathy e Christmas Lady Relyea (see sidebar, next page), who served as committee chairwoman from 1987 to 2008. When the parade was almost abandoned in 2009 due to signi cantly diminished funding, new Chairman Wig eld pushed to reinvigorate interest, with Relyeas support. By 2009, we saw the economy dip and we were down to one contributor plus le over funds, said Relyea. She rooted out sponsorships from every nook and cranny, from popcorn donors to radio stations. ere was such an expectation annually, said Relyea, Hours and hours of hard work but exciting, wonderful and everyone pulled together. Local radio station 106.5 WBMW rst came aboard as the parades biggest sponsor in 1987 and has remained so through leaner times. Wig eld said that, when hard times hit, Norwich just couldnt a ord to keep funding the parade. Its all privately funded and businesses supply the oats. I said We cant let this festival be dropped. It does too much for the city of Norwich to let it go by the wayside. Wig eld advocated focusing on local, homegrown talent, from dance companies to regional bands. e best kind of parades (are) local parades, because people recognize the people participating, says Wig eld. e band, homecoming king and queen and football team from NFA traditionally participate, along with parade marchers from nearby communities including Franklin, Griswold, Ledyard and Montville. Our volunteers volunteer their energy. We dont spend a lot of money and the town doesnt give us any, nor do the taxpayers, said Wig eld. Wig eld has future plans for the festival. Hed like to form a connection between downtown businesses and evolve the festivities into a weeklong series of events to draw visitors and positively impact city revitalization. (Norwich) is such a nice town and it was a great town for many, many decades; one of the top cities in the state. It would be nice to bring that back. People are tired of global and want something local in which to participate. Ive had more people come forward this year to be part of the committee than ever before. Wig eld cited the Otis Librarys O Tis A Festival on Nov. 17 and the late fall performances at e Spirit of Broadway eater and the Donald L. Oat eater as possible events to tie in with the winter festival. city hall events, and have them on the Saturday a er anksgiving. In past years, festivities had taken place the day a er anksgiving. In addition to Winter Festival Committee members, the volunteers at City Hall and Public Works play an intricate role in setting up for the holiday season, as do Norwich Public Utilities crews. It takes a lot of spokes in the wheel; hundreds of people to make this happen, Wig eld said. Jill Brennan, executive secretary to the city manager, has worked her magic for three years and counting on Light Up City Hall, putting the perfect holiday glow on the historic building and on the nearby Human Services building. Brennan also organizes features of the festival including caroling for children, horse-drawn carriage rides and getting the Norwich City Band scheduled. Last year, magicians, puppeteers and performers put on outside shows for free. According to Brennan, the Winter Festival Committee members and city hall team make sure were on the same page. e city, like the police department, o ers in-kind support to the committee where they need it; the committee plans and if they need help, they ask, said Brennan. She noted that last years holiday festivities at City Hall drew an estimated 1,500, making it the largest crowd to date for the event.

Making the season bright

Lots of elves

e Winterfest has always been the umbrella encompassing many activities and incarnations. Last year, Wig eld led the e ort to combine the parade and

For public works and police, the parade means preparing for foot tra c, parking issues, street safety and weather. Public works and NPU crews also play an important role in making the holidays bright in Norwich. Bob Sewart, the City Hall building and grounds supervisor, has helped guide logistics concerning holiday decorating and
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lighting for the past 20 years. Although approximately 3,000 lights remain on City Hall and its sister Human Services Building year round, Sewart and his crew test the bulbs beginning in October to see if any need replacing. In the days leading up to the festivities, the front of City Hall is readied with a carpet and chairs where children can wait to see Santa Claus and other holiday characters. Sewart said that Santa sometimes needs helpers to light the buildings, so this year hell have Norwich resident Joni Tramontozzis assistance. Tramontozzis entry of Ring in the Holidays was selected by the Parade Committee as its annual theme contest winner. Committee members said that they were looking for a theme with wide appeal. A crew also festoons the area with holiday wreaths, gives the building a good

once over and prepares the grounds. Ive been working here for 33 years and this building is amazing, said Sewart, adding that seeing the kids faces when Santa arrives is what he looks forward to the most. You have to love it. I think it helps the city of Norwich and brings people to downtown, which downtown needs, Sewart said. Times are tough; you need something for people to get together and have a good time. Norwich Public Utilities provides lots of holiday lights, including the sailboat light at Howard Brown Park and the signature rose that adorns Chelsea Parade, plus the street banners and bows. e utility company plays a huge part in decorating the downtown for the holidays, and does it with energy e ciency in mind. General Manager John Bilda com-

mented, NPU pushed for and led the initiative to convert everything to LED lights. LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) typically consume less energy, burn brighter and have a longer lifespan than traditional lights. Bilda also spoke of the sense of pride NPU employees have when participating in the Winter Festival Parade each year. NPU exists as a public entity, he said. We want to make Norwich a better place to live, work and do business.

The perfect tree(s)

Angelo Yeitz is the superintendent of streets and parks for Norwich Public Works. One of his holiday job duties is to nd the two Christmas trees that are placed at City Hall and at Franklin Square each winter. Yeitz gets more than a few calls from prospective tree families. In mid-to-late fall, he and his crew go out

If you go:

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NOV.

est Parade and What: The Annual Norwich Winterf Where: Downtown Norwich Cost: Free

Light Up City Hall

Winter Festival Parade Committee members

Norwich Alderman Tucker Braddock, Police Captain Patrick Daley, Deb Kievits of Bully Busters, firefighter Marc Landry, Karen Neeley, Chuck and Mary Norris and Jodi Vara.

Timeline (subject to change): l) Parade (marches to Norwich City Hal 1:30 p.m. Parade begins at Chelsea Events l Family Entertainment/Downtown 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Light Up City Hal with lighting of City Hall 5 p.m. Light Up City Hall concludes 334-2706 or oat, contact Dave Wig eld at (860) rmation on the parade or to enter a nnan at (860) 823-3750. For further info on Light Up City Hall, contact Jill Bre l@yahoo.com. For more information norwichwinterfestiva from Chelsea Parade ade route The parade steps o The 2012 Norwich Winterfest Par and heads south on Broadway: Turn east onto Broad Street Turn south on McKinley Avenue to Franklin Street Continue south on McKinley Avenue Square South on Franklin Street to Franklin th side of the traffic island Turn west on Main Street on the nor West on Main Street to Broadway Chestnut Street Turn right (north) on Broadway to
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You can purchase the $12 keepsake at the Norwich City Hall City Clerks Office, available after Thanksgiving. Ornaments from previous years are available year round.
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Ornament box

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The Christmas Lady and the Artist

Kathy Relyea is all about the holidays, whether its downtown Norwich or her own Victorian-inspired home that she transforms for the season. A ectionately called The Christmas Lady, to speak with the Winterfest Parades veritable historian is like stepping back in time. She can tell you about the Mystic bagpiper who had a beard lled with snow during an intense urry; Santa arriving by tugboat in a misty Norwich Harbor; or the paint color on a circa 1980s Elf House. From 1987-2009, Relyea was the driving force behind the event. Now a valued parade advisor, Relyea has continued to work on developing the annual Norwich holiday ornament, along with local artist Angela Cornelle Delgado. For the past 14 years or so, Delgado has oil-painted a di erent scene for the ornament each year. Delgado and Reylea said the 2012 ornament would re ect Norwichs rich history while commemorating another landmark year.

and inspect each of the o ered trees. Factors like fullness, height, accessibility and ease of removal weigh heavily on a trees it factor. Lindon Tree Service of Eastford donates time and manpower to cut down, transport and crane-li the trees. It takes up to six or seven people in a full-day process to scout and stake a tree, said Yeitz. e city of Norwich also erects a menorah, the nine-branch candelabrum celebrating Hanukkah, near the NFA campus annually.

A family tradition

omas and Jessica St. George have hosted friends and family at their Broad Street property for a porch party to watch the parade for the past 14 years. Although they have rented the home to tenants for several years, they return each year to watch the Winterfest Parade. It is an open invitation and a great time for everyone to catch up, Jessica said. I remember one year when you

could not even see our yard, there were so many people! e marchers enjoy the reception in front of the St. Georges former residence as well. Every year, Tom has cups of hot cocoa ready for parade members as they march by. I know the kids love to see the NFA marching band. Perhaps what makes the Norwich Winterfest Parade and Light Up City Hall resonate so strongly is the memories it evokes. For Jill Brennan, its the kid carolers that she coordinates. Watching them gets her every time. I love Christmas. My family has caroled every year since I was a kid. For me, to be able to bring that to people I feel that Im giving all of those families the same kind of feeling we have when we go out singing Christmas carols, said Brennan. Yes, you want to keep up with the times but if you lose sight of the past, you dont know where youre going.

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