SAUGUS — At least a thousand people descended on Saugus Center on Friday evening for the town’s annual tree lighting, which featured a petting zoo, a photo booth and, of course, a visit from Santa himself.
Music poured out of Central Street, which was blocked off beginning at Town Hall across to the library and well beyond, as children of all ages sprinted from activity to activity, seemingly unbothered by dropping temperatures. The event drew all five members of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee Chair Vincent Serino and Town Manager Scott Crabtree.
While the event kicked off at 5 p.m., the tree itself didn’t get lit until around 7 p.m., giving ample time for parents and their children to wait in the enormous lines that developed for the petting zoo (piglets were a highlight), bounce houses set up on Taylor Street, horse-drawn carriage rides, and rides aboard a small train. To help keep from going completely numb, hot chocolate and hot apple cider were in abundance.
The event also featured a performance from the Saugus High School band and choir, as well as numerous costumed figures walking around taking pictures, including a snowman, a Christmas tree and the grinch. When it was time for Santa to make his grand entrance, Crabtree led the massive crowd in a chant of “Santa! Santa!”
Santa arrived via horse-drawn carriage to a huge ovation from the crowd, and helped a group of children assembled on the Town Hall steps light the tree, which sits in the Central Street rotary. After the lighting, Santa was whisked across the street for photo ops, where a long line quickly formed.
Crabtree said the event represents an important opportunity for the Saugus community to come together.
“This is always one of the residents’ favorites, where everybody can get together and do the tree lighting and get ready for the holiday season,” he said. “I just want to thank everybody for coming, as well as all the volunteers that really put a lot of time and effort into this and volunteer their time to make this happen. There’s a lot of planning, a big committee that does this, and they work on this all year long.”
“It’s another successful year,” Crabtree added. “We’re always glad to have everyone here and kick off the holidays.”
For many families, the tree lighting serves as a way to make lifelong memories.
“The residents and community really can bond together and set memories for their families,” Crabtree said.
Lynn Tall, 52, of Saugus, brought her grandson, Oliver O’Connell, 8, to the tree lighting because she wanted to give him an opportunity to socialize outside of a school setting.
“It’s important for him to be part of the community and see his friends outside of school, and, you know, see the pretty lights,” said Tall. “Post-COVID, especially for the last couple of years, you sort of feel detached from your neighbors, but just looking around and seeing happy faces and it’s the holidays, it just sort of lifts you up at a place where you kind of need that.”
Stella Beaulieu, 7, of Saugus, said her favorite part of the event was the petting zoo, and in particular, the bunnies.
Grace Whitehusrt, 7, also of Saugus, concurred with Beaulieu, while S.J. Whitehurst said Santa was his favorite part of the event.
Santa said the tree lighting provides “so much joy and happiness to the kids.”
“Everybody needs it after 2020,” he said. “It’s definitely something that I didn’t even have to think twice about [even with] the last-minute request [to appear].”
He added that seeing the smiles on kids’ faces as they approached him to take their photo made it worth the trip to Saugus.
“It’s just a nice feeling to give back to the community,” Santa said.
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
