Please Help Light Up Downtown Batavia for the Holidays

The last of the Wilson Street Streetscape is wrapping up in downtown Batavia, but the brand new planters would remain bare until permanent trees could be planted in the spring.

Property and business owner Gene Olmstead started talking with other community members about a way to bring some holiday cheer to the downtown and utilizing the planters for the winter season. The idea was to have Christmas trees up and down Wilson St. for the holiday, and soon after, the “Light Up The Town” campaign was realized.

“We thought placing Christmas trees was a wonderful idea,” said Joi Cuartero, executive director of Batavia MainStreet. “When Gene mentioned putting trees up at the council meeting, we agreed Batavia MainStreet could help rally the troops and make this happen.”

For the “Light Up The Town” campaign, Batavia MainStreet teamed up with the city of Batavia to get trees placed in the new planters up and down Wilson St., from Batavia Avenue to Island Avenue. As the public works department started decorating downtown for the holiday, the department would also install Christmas trees in the planters.

MainStreet then asked the community if they would like to be involved in decorating trees and “Light Up the Town” for the holiday. The response was outstanding with groups stepping up to help adopt and decorate trees and even more groups sponsoring trees monetarily. Those adopting and sponsoring included families, businesses and other community organizations. Top sponsors include Landmark Contractors and the individual members of the Batavia City Council, who personally donated to the cause. To top it off, some of the trees are generously donated by Marmion’s Abbey Farms!

Joi adds, “We are so thankful for the generosity of Abbey Farms and our amazing community. We could not do projects like ‘Light Up The Town’ without community support. This really shows how we all get together,to kick off the season with holiday cheer and celebrate by beautifying Downtown Batavia.”

Decorating and putting lights on the trees will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, meeting at 122 West Wilson St. to start. Those who have donated their time to adopt a tree and decorate them will meet at 122 West Wilson to find their tree, and all are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.

Additional sponsors include All Spoked Up, Batavia full-time firefighters, Biz ReTek Inc., BMO Harris Bank, Bulldog Plumbing, Clams And a Ham Dog Designs, Confident Aire, Hagemann Wealth Management, K. Hollis Jewelers, Olmstead’s TV & Appliances, Steve and Laura Newman, Wills Burke Kelsey, Urban Style Salon and Spa as tree sponsors, as well as Lisa’s Heads and Nails and Timberland Financial Group as light sponsors.

For additional information on Downtown Batavia and the “Light Up The Town” campaign, please visit the MainStreet website at www.DowntownBatavia.com/lightupthetown, or call (630) 761-3528.