Christmas in Birdsboro filled Main Bird Park with holiday cheer and an estimated 3,000 attendees on Saturday, Dec. 13.
The daylong celebration began with a morning Santa Run 5K followed by a craft show at the Birdsboro Community Center. Daniel Boone Cub Scout Pack 595 hosted an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast with Santa at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. The Boone Area Library hosted a book and bake sale.
The main event of Christmas in Birdsboro kicked off that afternoon in Main Bird Park with food trucks, a bonfire, Santa, a mechanical reindeer, maze, kids activities, vendors, music, dancers and a live Nativity performance.
“I hear strangers talking about how much of a treasure Christmas in Birdsboro is,” event committee chair Christen Thompson said. “I’m so happy we can provide that for this community.”
Every year, the Derrick Family attends Christmas in Birdsboro. Their favorite part of the event is spending time with family. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
The event, first launched in 2008, was organized by a small but dedicated committee from local churches and community groups. Planning begins in August along with fundraising, looking for sponsors and searching for unique fun to add to the event.
“Our group of volunteers gives up numerous hours a month planning this event. We work hard to keep this annual tradition in Birdsboro,” said Thompson.
This year the celebration featured a wide array of activities designed for all ages.
Thompson said the committee hoped to provide “something for every member of the family to enjoy.”
To keep guests warm, propane heaters were placed around the park. Picnic tables were set up around a large bonfire maintained by the Birdsboro-Union Fire Department.
About 37 vendors lined the park, offering crafts, food, activities, and local goods.
Molly Goslin, founder and educational director of Cedar Hill Homestead, a non-profit educational center in Birdsboro, provided wood circle ornaments for children to decorate.
“I had my husband (Dave Schuettler) chop up a tree for the wood slices,” Goslin said as she helped 6-year-old Scarlette Rossi with her ornament.
Scarlette Rossi, 6, creates a wooden snowman ornament at the Cedar Hill Homestead stand at Christmas in Birdsboro at Main Bird Park on Dec. 13. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
Once she completed her decoration, Scarlette was first in line to sit on Santa’s lap for a photo.
“I asked him for dolls,” Scarlette said.
This is the first year the event had a professional Santa, Liam Grob, who arrived via a fire truck and paraded through the park waving hands and greeting children.
Then Santa settled into his chair in a gingerbread house, listening to Christmas wishes and posing for photos.
“I like being able to create memories for these kids the same way Santa created so many memories for me as a kid,” said Grob, who has been portraying Santa Claus for seven years.
Kaiden Banyai, 15 months, visits with Santa at Christmas in Birdsboro on Dec. 13. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
Grob is known for appearing as Santa in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade for the past three years. He also creates a fully interactive light display in Exeter that has become a local favorite.
Christmas in Birdsboro offered several inflatables for kids to enjoy including the always popular Mr. Grinch Bounce House and Slide Combo and a Snow Maze.
Thrill seekers enjoyed rides on the bucking mechanical reindeer, a festive spin on the classic mechanical bull.
Several community groups performed, including the Daniel Boone Middle School Select Chorus, Daniel Boone High School’s Jazz Band and Varsity Voices.
Christmas in Birdsboro offered several inflatables including the always popular Mr. Grinch Bounce House and Slide Combo. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
Evelyn Acevedo, 6, of Birdsboro rides a mechanical reindeer during Christmas in Birdsboro on Dec. 13. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
Carrie Ward airbrush paints the character Stitch for Paisley McCall, 6, during Christmas in Birdsboro. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
Carly Thompson as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Addyson Langheim as Buddy the Elf pose for photos during Christmas in Birdsboro on Dec. 13. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
The Grinch poses for photos during Christmas in Birdsboro on Dec. 13. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
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Christmas in Birdsboro offered several inflatables including the always popular Mr. Grinch Bounce House and Slide Combo. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
Dressed in hats, gloves, and holiday sweaters, Turning Pointe Dance Studio performed to “Sleigh Ride” by The Ronettes
“All ages and levels come together for the group dance,” said dance teacher Kristin Maddaloni.
The dancers spent about three weeks preparing for their performance.
After entertaining the crowd, Turning Pointe dancers handed out coloring books.
Moving Communities To Christ church provided a live Nativity performance.
“We do a live performance instead of a live nativity,” said Lynnette Hess, MCC campus director. “The angel speaks, and if you ask Mary or Joseph any questions, they’re going to introduce you to Jesus.”
Maggie Krall, 17, portrays an angel in Moving Communities To Christ church’s live Nativity performance at Christmas in Birdsboro at Main Bird Park on Dec. 13. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
The angel was performed by Maggie Krall, 17, who regularly recited the Bible passage Luke 2:10-14: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Along with MCC, Birdsboro Nazarene Church and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church pitched in to create the display.
“All of the churches came together to build the crèche (pronounced ‘kresh’),” MCC Pastor Matt Brunk said.
A crèche is a manger and refers to the entire birth of Jesus display.
Along with the live performance, the Moving Communities To Christ served free soup. The church served 20 gallons of Italian wedding soup made with 60 pounds of meatballs.
Aaron Gulla of Birdsboro set up a large train display in the Birdsboro Community Memorial Center for Christmas in Birdsboro on Dec. 13. (Jesi Yost/For MediaNews Group)
For the third year, rail fan Aaron Gulla of Birdsboro set up a large train display in the Birdsboro Community Memorial Center. This year’s display had more to see than the previous years including the Spin Out, an animated carnival ride.
“I just want to bring joy to kids’ faces,” said Gulla, a member of the Reading Model Train Club who has been collecting trains for 20 years.
Gulla spent five days setting up his train display and would not have finished in time without helpers.
Christmas in Birdsboro concluded with a fireworks display.
Looking ahead, Thompson hopes that Christmas in Birdsboro will continue to grow. She said the committee is exploring possibilities like bringing back ice sculptures or adding an ice rink in the future.
Above all, her favorite part of the celebration remains the same every year — the smiles from the community.