Tuesday, December 10, 2024
To get the community in holiday spirits for the Christmas season, the City of Gatesville is planning to bring a nostalgic Christmas light walkthrough event back to life with Christmas at the Ballpark.
“We haven’t had a Christmas light show in Gatesville since 2017,” Parks and Recreation Director Seth Phillips said. “Faunt Le Roy Park flooded in 2018 damaging the road around the park, making it unpassable to vehicle traffic. The main goal of the event is to provide families with something to do in Gatesville during the holiday season.”
Phillips mentioned that the idea for Christmas at the Ballpark was brought to light by Civic Center Manager Morgan Smart.
Smart expressed that the inspiration for the event came from her love of Christmas and driving around looking at Christmas lights.
“My fondest memories growing up are driving around Faunt Le Roy Park every year with my family looking at the lights,” she said. “I felt like this is something the community has really missed and something that needed to be brought back.”
Christmas at the Ballpark will feature a plethora of Christmas lights, which will be placed around the Sports Complex and ballpark. Christmas light viewing will be available from Saturday, Nov. 30 to Tuesday, Dec. 31.
Santa’s Workshop will also be open on Dec. 2, Dec. 14, and Dec. 21, from 6-9 p.m. Santa will be present at the ballpark to meet local youth along with various activities offered to event-goers. Activities will include face painting, a coloring station, bounce houses, and a Christmas ornament station. There will be a concession stand open with hot chocolate, coffee, and cookies to purchase.
The Gatesville ISD Jazz Band will perform on Dec. 2, and there will be a Texas Night Before Christmas Story Walk put together by the library with further information to come. There will also be a Storytime with Santa event during Santa’s Workshop on Dec. 21 as well as cookies with Santa.
Admission is free to all events.
“We hope that families will be able to stay in Gatesville and enjoy time together walking around the ballpark viewing the light displays,” Phillips said. “In the next few years, we aim to expand the light show and make it a tourism opportunity for our community.”
The City of Gatesville has been actively setting up for the event since Nov. 4 with hopes of completion on Nov. 27.
The Grand Lighting Ceremony for Christmas at the Ballpark will be held on Dec. 2, at 5:30 p.m.
“My hope is that families are able to make memories together like I was able to do with my family at Faunt Le Roy and for this to be an event that keeps growing, getting better every year,” Smart said.
Phillips and Smart both wanted to thank City Manager Brad Hunt for supporting city staff and for allowing the new event to take place. They would also like to thank all Gatesville administration staff, the Public Works Department, the Parks & Recreation Department, and City Librarian Shea Harp for working hard to make the event happen.
“We would also like to thank Ronnie Sullins with the First National Bank, Higginbotham’s, Sam’s Automotive & Tire, Kalyn Siebert, and Walmart for their generous contributions,” Smart said. “This would not be made possible without the help and support.”
