Letter: Christmas Festival Committee could use your help

Posted 3/19/18

When I tell people I’m from Bristol, the immediate response is usually “Fourth of July.” It seems almost everyone has heard of Bristol’s July Fourth …

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Letter: Christmas Festival Committee could use your help

Posted

When I tell people I’m from Bristol, the immediate response is usually “Fourth of July.” It seems almost everyone has heard of Bristol’s July Fourth festivities.

Year-round, volunteers with the Bristol Fourth of July Committee and the Town of Bristol work tirelessly to bring the country’s most famous Independence Day celebration to our community and the nation. George M. Cohan himself couldn’t stage a more patriotic production.

As Town Crier, I am very proud to be a small part of Bristol’s Fourth of July celebration. It is an incredible honor for me to be able to lead Bristol’s historic Military, Civic, and Firemen’s Parade in the most patriotic town in America.

July Fourth is my second favorite day of the year. But on July Fifth, I swap my hand bell and tri-cornered hat for sleigh bells and a red cap trimmed in fur. For me, Edmund Gwenn said it best in the 1947 film, “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind.”

This year I have been asked to take on an additional role — General Chairman of Bristol’s Christmas Festival and Grand Illumination. It’s a big job, but I look forward to the challenge.

Like the Fourth of July Committee, the Christmas Festival Committee also works year-round. Now, I know what you’re thinking; “There’s a Committee for the Christmas Festival”? Yes, there is. Established in 1987 by Dorothy “Dottie” Cordeiro, the Bristol Christmas Festival Committee is responsible for organizing and promoting a series of family-oriented holiday events, activities, and entertainment for the community.

Traditionally, it’s been difficult to get volunteers to join our committee. Aside from the fact that many are not aware there even is a committee, the biggest challenge for us is that most people don’t want to hear the word “Christmas” until the day after Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, planning for Bristol’s Christmas Festival needs to start in January.

We have several events planned for 2018, but we need help to bring these events to our community. We need committee volunteers with a variety of skills such as organizing, planning, writing, marketing, and social media. The General Committee meets on the third Thursday of each month, while various sub-committees meet as needed.

Please consider joining the Christmas Festival Committee. Joining the committee provides you an opportunity to improve the quality of life in our community, make new friends, and have a wonderful time contributing to the success of one of the country’s largest ongoing Christmas festivals. 

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about joining the committee, please feel free to contact me directly. I am happy to meet with you over a cup of coffee or milk and cookies. I promise we don’t play Christmas music or sing carols at our meetings. Although we do start each meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance — hey, it is Bristol after all.

Merry Christmas!

Michael Rielly

21 Sandy Lane, Bristol

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