Memorial Park becomes a winter wonderland for Festival in Lights
With Mrs. Claus in the background, Juliette Berg, 3 of Glendale, tells Santa Claus what she would like for Christmas during the 21st Festival in Lights at Memorial Park in La Cañada Flintridge on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015.
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The hearts of holiday revelers were merry and bright last Friday evening, as Santa himself illuminated the night sky at the 21st annual Festival in Lights, sponsored by the La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce and Community Assn.
As if by magic, Memorial Park was fully outfitted with wintertime activities designed for the young and the young at heart, including 10 tons of artificial snow that inspired snowball fights and angels, live reindeer, edible treats and holiday tunes courtesy of the La Cañada Elementary Lions’ Pride chorus and Palm Crest Elementary Melody Makers.
PHOTOS: Santa Claus turns on the lights during the Festival in Lights
“The turnout is great, the weather is perfect and everything is in good order for kids to see Santa,” said Pat Anderson, the chamber’s chief executive and president. “This is just a good family outing, great for all ages.”
Bearing testament to that fact were 4-year-old Glendale twins Max and Maddie Korn, who joined mom Melissa and grandmother Susan MacPherson, of La Cañada, at the very front of the line to see Santa so as to make the contents of their Christmas wish lists known.
“I want Boulder and Heatwave,” Max said, naming his favorite Transformers characters. “Boulder, he’s a digger. I want Blaze too — he’s a helicopter.”
Maddie’s wish was a bit simpler: “I want a bike,” she said judiciously. “A pink one.”
Mom and grandma were confident Santa would find a way to fill the order and enjoyed bringing the twins around La Cañada’s annual festival to submit requests in person. MacPherson, who’s lived in town for the past 45 years and used to bring her daughter as a girl, said the event is part of the family’s holiday celebration.
“It’s a tradition, especially being grandparents and having the grandchildren join us,” she said. “It just kicks off the holiday season for us.”
While the younger set waited anxiously for their audience with Kris Kringle, older kids, like 10-year-old Nolan Kuszyk, opted for the snow pits, where snowball fights predominated. Although many of his cohorts were dressed to accommodate a Yukon adventure, Kuszyk casually played in shorts and a T-shirt.
“I can’t get this kid to wear jackets,” joked mom Marion Kuszyk, who said the family has been coming to the Festival in Lights since daughter Ali started caroling there as a Palm Crest Melody Maker six years ago.
“It’s just so festive,” Marion Kuszyk said of the event. “It looks so Christmasy and gets you in the Christmas spirit.”
Nolan Kuszyk, who’s hoping to see an Xbox video game console under the tree this year, remained tight-lipped about his beliefs in Santa, but admitted he’s been pretty good this year.
Yeah, but has he been Xbox good?
“No comment,” he replied with a knowing smile.
Amid Friday’s crowd were several young women who hoped to hear their names announced as members of the chamber’s 2016 Miss LCF Royal Court, and family members who came to cheer them on.
Selected from among 10 finalist candidates were Kara Bradley, Heather Connolly, Katy Paynter and Jessy Sitaramya from La Cañada High School and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy’s Sloan Elmassian.
One court member will be officially crowned Miss La Cañada Flintridge in a coronation ceremony held during the chamber’s 104th Installation and Awards Gala on Jan. 28.
After the court naming, it was back to the snow pits, where young children kicked and dug at packed snow in an attempt to make a snowman. Among them were Natalie Derderian, 8, and her 4-year-old sister Julianna.
The sisters came from La Crescenta with mom Anie, to whisper their wishes for Calico Critters and Shopkins figurines and have some winter fun.
“We came to see Santa come down Foothill Boulevard — and for the snow,” Anie Derderian said. “We don’t get to see snow often.”
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
