The evening started last Thursday with the anxious anticipation of parents, cameras in hand, waiting for the Northlake Children’s Chorus to ring in this year’s holiday season.
Tucker resident Jeff Sears watched while daughter Annabelle sang "Jingle Bells" and "Christmas is Coming" with her fellow carolers.
“The best yet,” he said. “They picked a good day of the week, in conjunction with the (Tucker) Farmer’s Market. More people are here this year.”
Ester Davis agreed this year has been the best Christmas on Main Street yet.
“We come to almost every event downtown. It makes you feel like you live in a small town. This is just so nice,” said Davis.
The new additions of live music, more food and vendors is all thanks to OTTMA, the Old Town Tucker Merchants Association.
Event Chairman Jamey Wilson helped organize this year’s expansion. “We added vendors, choirs, more lights to buildings and trees and moved it to combine with the Tucker Farmers' Market,” Wilson explained. “We’re blown away; people really came out this year.”
OTTMA was expecting one thousand attendees. Somewhere between three and four thousand showed up. “There’s no money made at this event. It’s something we give to the community,” added Wilson.
Chip Cofer who co-chaired this year’s event with Jamey remembers what it was like yesteryear. “I grew up here; I remember being a little boy driving down this road. It’s neat to see all the kids,” said Cofer. “Some were stale in years past, this Christmas on Main Street is energized.”
Santa Claus sat in the window of Las Colinas restaurant with kids on knee, while parents took pictures.
Luam and Tihute Solomon were giddy to meet Santa. (See photo). “I asked for all the legos in the world,” exclaimed Tihute. Luam asked Santa for… snow.
Close to forty vendors worked the event this year, between the Tucker Farmers' Market and other merchants scattered up and down Main Street.
Tucker resident Jennifer Buechner set up a booth this year. She bought her house seven years ago with a bamboo grove in the backyard. “I started playing with the bamboo and it just evolved into jewelry,” said Buechner. Her handmade earrings and necklaces, known as Moonlight Bamboo, will be available on esty.com soon.
It was jam packed at the Old Tucker Fountain and lines of people ate at the Roly Poly food truck.
OTTMA Secretary Cindy Farrar said this year exceeded all expectations. “Community involvement has been tremendous. We had great support, working together, that’s what OTTMA is all about. Our mission is to grow downtown Tucker,” said Farrar.
And from the looks, smells, sights and sounds of it, I’d have to say they’ve accomplished their goal.