Annually in McHenry, there is a celebration downtown around the time fall transitions into winter. Everyone enjoys the atmosphere and holiday spirit in these jolly gatherings and events, because if you didn’t you’d have to be quite the Grinch.
On Nov. 22 townspeople participated in the Cocoa Crawl, where you register for the event and receive a mug, then samples of a variety of hot cocoa and holiday treats are distributed from participating businesses downtown. Stores and restaurants were also offering discounts or sales on merchandise and food.
As you walk from shop to shop certain businesses greet you with magical scenes of the season in the store windows. Certain characters and costumes catch customers’ eyes but MCHS was also creating quite the crowd performing live music at miller point.
“The cocoa walk had a nice, cozy, Christmas vibe to it,” junior musician Sadie Sullivan says. “I just loved playing music for the community.”
Community events like these bring exposure to new and old businesses while bringing attention to the talented, such as the performing high schoolers.
“It’s very nice, the things that the town has for everyone,” sophomore Vocal Warrior Nick Smiesko says. “But it’s also very nice to have the school represented in a way that not many people will always see like the choir and musical side of the school.”
To continue the weekend of festivities at Veterans Park, on Nov. 23, kids were able to visit Santa and partake in other fun games, crafts, or even ride around the park in a horse drawn sleigh.
“The tree lighting is a good event because it really brings the people of McHenry together, and even potential neighboring towns,” Nick Smiesko says. “It’s a very joyous event.”
Later on in the afternoon the MCHS Vocal Warriors lead everyone in carols before counting down and flipping the switch to showcase the thousands of twinkling lights in the park and around the downtown streets.
“We’ve been Christmas people for years, we really do enjoy Christmas and the holidays,” Gary Basely says,.“My favorite part is walking around town with all of the stuff the city does every holiday. It’s nice because everybody clearly loves it.”
Catherine and Gary Basely donated the tree that sits as the centerpiece of Veterans Park. They have been growing it for around 20 years and since it started to grow beyond their desire, they decided to donate it to the city so that townspeople can enjoy it for the season.
“It’s cold out here, but despite that factor I like to see everyone and all of this,” Gary Basely says.
Especially during this holiday season it’s good for the community to come together and gather to lift the spirits.