Annual holiday display casts light on Middleboro park
Dec 18, 2023
A snow machine provided kids in attendance with additional fun. Photos by Brendan Cassidy
Battis Field was encased in Holiday decor.
Large blow-up characters like Frosty the Snowman made appearances.
Part of the path that attendees followed throughout the night.
Lights were provided by the Tourism Committee and the Parks Department.
Santa Claus set up his sleigh in the center of the field.
MIDDLEBORO — Battis Field underwent a makeover to host “Holiday Lights at the Park” run by the Middleboro Tourism Committee and the Middleboro Parks Department.
The display of lights and blow-up characters was open to the public on Dec. 8-10, and Dec. 15-17.
On Friday, Dec. 15, Families walked along a path spanning the outside of the football field, passing different lights and holiday decorations as they went. In the middle of the field, Santa Claus sat on his sleigh, greeting those who had finished the walk.
A machine producing artificial snow provided kids with additional entertainment on a clear night in Middleboro.
Nathan Damers, the chair of the Tourism Committee said that this year was the second year that the event had been put on.
“Last year was the great unknown,” Demers said. “We spent probably two months this year talking about the format of the event and how we could improve.”
Lights were provided by both the Parks Department and the Tourism Committee. According to Demers, the Parks Department received a grant from The Peirce Trustees in 2022 of over $20,000 that served as a starting point for the lights.
Demers said that safety precautions influenced the design of the event, and the Tourism Committee and Parks Department ensured that the area was lit up so that attendees could see where they walked, and that extension cords were not blocking their path.
The Tourism Committee sold merchandise and handmade ornaments at the event. Concessions like hot chocolate and popcorn were available for purchase from the Parks Department.
Demers said that the event has grown in popularity since last year. “Saturday [Dec. 9] and Sunday [Dec. 10] were our most successful days to date,” said Demers. “It seems like every weekend that we do this event it is improving.
“There is so much competition in terms of things to do around Christmas time,” said Demers. “We are trying to get people who live in Middleboro to stay in Middleboro.”
“It’s all about the kids in the community,” said Demers. “They just want to see Santa Claus.”
