A little rain didn’t keep residents in Big Sandy from the first annual “Light Up Big Sandy” event on Saturday evening.
From the hot chocolate bar to the cookie table, folks lined up to get a sample of festive cheer at the city hall affair. The newly sworn-in Big Sandy Mayor Autumn Ratliff presided over the evening fun that included carolers from Big Sandy Christian Community Outreach Center and First Baptist Church.
City workers decked out the entire area with lights, and volunteers donated cookies and hot chocolate and manned the stations, as well.
Around 5:30 p.m., Santa arrived via a firetruck and the giddy children eagerly lined up for a chance to ask him for gifts and toys.
The evening concluded with the lighting of two Christmas trees. One artificial tree, the mayor pointed out, was a substitute for the smaller “live” tree just behind it. “This artificial tree is just for show, but the real one behind it is going to grow, as the city will also continue to grow,” Ratliff said. Minutes later, she plugged both trees in and they lit up brightly to the cheer of the crowd.