Rock rocking for holiday event
SLIPPERY ROCK — Locals rocked around the Rock on Saturday night during the downtown Light the Rock & Christmas Market.
The annual Christmas kickoff in northwest Butler County began in earnest at 4 p.m., when Santa Claus arrived at Memorial Park, and festivities continued throughout the evening with the lighting of a large evergreen tree — one of three Christmas trees in the borough — and various live music opportunities.
And those music opportunities weren't just limited to the guitarists and singers outside Ginger Hill Tavern, either.
In fact, Terri Pizor of Slippery Rock said her favorite part of the festivities was the elementary school-age children singing as the carriage rides began at 4:30 p.m.
While Pizor, a Slippery Rock native, said she comes to the event as often as she can, the fun wasn't limited to those who attend frequently. Ron Lyons said he recently had moved to the area from New Castle and was pleasantly surprised to step outside and see the Christmas Market.
“I didn't even know about it until a couple hours ago,” Lyons added.
It was a nice change of pace for Lyons, who said he didn't have many opportunities where he previously lived to mingle with the rest of the community.
“It's nice to see people gathering,” he said. “It's nice to see the community gathering together.”
There were plenty of activities, food and drink on Main Street, too, with hot sausage, glassblowing and a beer tent lining the temporarily pedestrian-only road. Despite — or perhaps because of — the chill in the air, Main Street was crowded.
“You get nice weather, you get people,” said Tom McPherson, who organizes the event.
To be sure, the people were — for many attendees — the highlight of the event.
“Being around people again was nice,” said Zeke Hoole, a Michigan native who attends Slippery Rock University.
That applies not only to those living in Slippery Rock for a short period of time, but also to those who were born and raised in the area.
“It's a social event,” said Mark Dickey of Slippery Rock.
