Saturday, January 18, 2025
SPRINGTOWN — For years now, the City of Springtown has hosted its annual Old-Fashioned Christmas. This cherished event brings the Springtown community together and offers a festive, family-friendly, Christmas atmosphere. As Springtown grows, Assistant City Administrator Christina Derr says the town is committed to keeping that small-town feel, while providing an event that residents can enjoy every Christmas.
“The main objective is to foster a sense of community and give back to our residents,” Derr said. “It’s a wonderful way to keep our homey, small-town feel alive and thriving.”
While the original founder of the event is unknown, Derr spoke to the driving force behind the festivities, with each year’s planning committee having the goal of bringing together the community for the holidays.
“Our events committee, which includes employees from various departments across the city, works together to ensure everything runs smoothly,” Derr said. “Committee members include our library director, our public works coordinator and public works director as well as other public works staff, our human resources plus finance manager, me and (City Administrator) David Miller, our animal control officers, police officers, court personnel, our museum coordinator, utility billing staff and our development staff.”
This year’s Old-Fashioned Christmas is set to be another exciting event for the whole family with activities like ice skating, a 16-foot double slide, an alpine inflatable slide and a petting zoo. For younger children, there will be a gingerbread bounce house, face painting plus arts and crafts. Santa will arrive from the North Pole for photos and performances will take place on the Tabernacle stage.
“This year we are adding a feature that will be available from the night of the parade daily until the new year,” Derr said. “The gazebo at Optimist Park will be decorated and be free to use as a backdrop for family Christmas photos.”
The event will also include 100 vendors, a wide variety of food and holiday-themed goods.
The Christmas event is expected to bring in 1,500 to 2,000 people with similar numbers anticipated for the parade. The city measures the success of the event by the continued growth each year.
“We’re proud that the event continues to grow year after year,” Derr said. “It’s a sign that it’s become a beloved tradition for the community.”
Feedback from past attendees has been very positive over the years with many locals showing gratitude for the city’s commitment to putting on holiday events.
“The smiles on the faces of the kids are worth all the hard work,” Derr said. “It’s truly heartwarming to know that we’re creating lasting memories for families in our community. We want people to come together, enjoy each other’s company and create lasting memories with their families. It’s what makes our community special.”
Old-Fashioned Christmas will be Dec. 14 at the Springtown Square and Optimist Park from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is free; to learn about opportunities to volunteer or sponsor, contact Rachele Ortega at rortega@cityofspringtown.com
