Cities, towns cut back on holiday celebrations

Fox Valley communities are forced to trim holiday activities due to bad economy

It's Christmas time in the city. But silver bells? They might be out of the question this year.

The still-slumping economy is threatening to descend, Grinch-like, on Whoville and steal away Christmas -- or at least parts of it.

Cities, towns and villages all up and down the Fox Valley are preparing to face massive budget deficits in 2010, and as revenue continues to decline, many of them are cutting back on non-essentials.

It's the same in any household or business with a budget. As belts get tighter, pennies get pinched, and while it would be unthinkable for most families to cancel Christmas or other holiday celebrations entirely, many will be making do with less this year. Fewer presents, a smaller tree, fewer lights on the outside of the house.

For the city of Aurora, facing a projected $19 million budget deficit next year, the annual Holiday Magic celebration will be one of the first things to feel the budget squeeze. In 2008, the city spent $43,131 on its massive downtown party, including fireworks, a parade through the city streets and the lighting of a gigantic tree on Downer Place.

This year, Holiday Magic will have to make do with $10,000, according to Finance Director Brian Caputo. But like those household Christmases, the party, set for Nov. 27, will go on -- it's just shrinking. The fireworks have been canceled, as has the parade.

The city will still crown two local children Miss Merry Christmas and Jack Frost, as they have done for more than 40 years, and those kids will still help Mayor Tom Weisner light the big tree in front of North Island Center. And the city will still send gifts to Aurora residents in active military service, both in the United States and overseas.

Additionally, the holiday lights display at Phillips Park will turn on Nov. 27 and run through Dec. 27, courtesy of the Aurora Rotary Club. That event, now in its third year, takes no money from the city and operates on local donations.

But despite all that, the cuts will be noticeable, and according to city spokesman Amy Roth, they will probably remain in place next year as well.

Down the river in Oswego, you'll find a pared-down Christmas Walk, set for Dec. 4. There will still be a lighted firetruck parade, carolers, an ice skating rink and visits from Santa Claus and the Grinch, but according to Community Relations Coordinator Michelle Bergeron, sponsorships from local businesses have been lighter than usual this year.

"We're still doing it full-steam ahead," she said, "but we're scaling back. We'll have fewer costumed characters. We'll still have a horse-drawn wagon, but no sleigh ride."

Bergeron said the village spent $7,500 on the Christmas Walk in 2008 and has allocated about $10,000 a year. But much of the event is paid for through sponsorships, and the economy has taken a bite out of those. Bergeron noted, though, that village employees all volunteer for the day, and other volunteers have been stepping forward in force to help out.

In Yorkville, it's the same story. The city's annual Holiday Under the Stars event, which the city took over from the Yorkville Chamber of Commerce only three years ago, will see significant cutbacks this year. Spokesman Glory Spies said the city spent about $20,000 on the festival last year, but it was removed completely from the 2009 budget.

So the party, set for Nov. 20, is dependent on donations and contributions from local residents and businesses. And so far, Spies said, the city has taken in about $7,200. That means the celebration literally will be cut in half -- where they had two horses and carriages last year, for instance, they will only have one this year.

But, Spies said, Yorkville has decided to be creative. For the first time in years, they're bringing part of the Holiday under the Stars festival downtown, where businesses will host their own celebrations. The other half will still take place in Town Square Park. Spies said the people of Yorkville have truly come together to make the event happen.

"It may be scaled down, but we still want it to be a quality event for the residents," she said. "Everyone wants to be happy at Christmas. To not do anything, I wouldn't be happy about that."

Travel up and down the Fox Valley, and that's what you'll hear. For the most part, celebrations in other towns are sponsored and organized by park districts and community groups and put together by volunteers, working for nothing more than a warm cider and holiday spirit.

In North Aurora, for example, the celebration started on Saturday. Volunteers helped to paint roughly 100 wooden snowmen, which will be placed along Route 31 and in Gazebo Park.

And on Dec. 6, Harry Patterson, head of the village's beautification committee, will lead whoever wants to lend their voices in song at Island Park. The sing-along is a tradition Patterson started about eight years ago, and he works with the Lions Club to put it on.

Montgomery's tree-lighting ceremony is set for Dec. 6 in front of the new Village Hall on River Street. A collaboration between the village, the Fox Valley Park District and the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, the event includes seven groups of schoolchildren performing carols, and free refreshments. And according to Executive Assistant Debbie Buchanan, it costs the village only $500, to rent the stage from the Fox Valley Park District.

Batavia's Celebration of Lights Festival kicks off on Nov. 29. That event is organized by the Batavia Park District and includes a visit from Santa and holiday stories at the Gustafson Research Center, hosted by the Batavia Public Library.

Geneva will see a whole host of activities, all of which are sponsored by community groups. The main event, the 42nd Annual Christmas Walk and House Tour set for Dec. 4 and 5, is arranged by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.

St. Charles hosts a Holiday Homecoming Weekend, full of events sponsored by local businesses, and an Electric Christmas Parade, organized by a group of businesses called The Downtown St. Charles Partnership. The city contributes financially to the partnership, but doesn't have a hand in the events.

Human Resources Director Kathy Livernois said the city's monetary contribution hasn't changed with the economy -- it's stayed at about $245,000 a year.

In Plano, a tree-lighting and caroling ceremony is set for Dec. 4, and the city will collect food for roughly 250 needy families, which will be distributed on Dec. 6. The event, according to Deputy Clerk Kathy Miller, costs the city nothing.

Somonauk's celebrations are put on by its Business Association and include a dinner and a tree-lighting ceremony, paid for through donations.

And in Sandwich, the holiday party is actually growing, not shrinking. The Sandwich Park District handles the festivities. In addition to a free breakfast with Santa at its office on Dec. 5, the Park District has introduced something this year called the Festival of Trees. This involves local businesses decorating trees in a way that represents the service they provide.

Those trees will then be put on display at the Timber Creek Inn and Suites on Dec. 5 and 6. This event costs nothing and is entirely about people volunteering their time and talents.

And in the end, isn't that what the Christmas season is all about? People coming together to help their fellow man in a time of need?

Back in Aurora, that's exactly what happened. Due to budget cuts, Santa's annual visit to Phillips Park was set for the chopping block. In fact, the city had already announced that it wouldn't happen.

And then, the volunteer group Friends of Phillips Park stepped forward, donating time and money. Santa's house will once again be set up in the Visitor's Center at the park, and children will once again line up to sit on his knee.

"We have long-standing traditions here, and many of them are not city-generated," said city spokesman Roth. "Aurora is not going to lose its holiday spirit just because there are a few events we won't be able to do this year." cutting back ON celebrations