Deerfield threw a party for its citizens and hundreds showed up.
Horse-drawn hay rides, a free dinner served by village officials, shopping and a visit with Santa Claus and more were all part of Deerfield’s annual Winter Celebration Dec. 6-7 throughout downtown.
“We’re having a good time,” Mayor Harriet Rosenthal said as she served a chili dinner compliments of Whole Foods in the Village Hall lobby. “We’ve got a good crowd, the [Deerfield High School] Choraliers were here, we have snacks and rides.”
Rosenthal was joined by trustees Robert Benton, Barbara Struthers and Robert Nadler behind the counter. As they served, a crowd of more than 50 people ate and listened to holiday music provided by Bill Robinson’s combo using the hammered dulcimer. Robinson let children from the crowd help him play the instrument.
Before entering Village Hall, children got to enjoy a petting zoo or board one of two horse drawn wagons for a ride in the hay from the city offices to the Historic Village and back. On the way in, there were roasted chestnuts.
“A lot of people have not heard of chestnuts,” said Rich Harris, the owner of Deerfield Auto and Tire Clinic. “Most people don’t know you have to peel them first.”
Harris said he and his sons have been offering this holiday treat for 13 consecutive years. They have been involved in Winter Celebration since its inception at least 20 years ago, according to Joan Reed.
“This is good for everybody in the community,” said Jan DelGreco, of Deerfield, as she ate a chestnut.
Shopping was a serious part of the day Saturday with most downtown merchants offering a customer incentive to visit and purchase.
“It was busy early in the day,” Robert Vance Ltd. owner Jack Shniderman said.
The shopping element went from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as horse-drawn wagons carted people from Deerfield Square to Deerfield Village Centre across the street.
There were of plenty of children with their parents at Whole Foods making gingerbread houses. For a fee, the store provided the walls, roof, candy and other trimmings, according to company spokesperson Cheri Buell.
Olivia Glantsman, of Deerfield, was making a house with her children, Nicholas and Katherine. They were looking forward to getting it home.
“We’re going to eat all of it,” Nicholas said.
Visitors to Berkshire Hathaway Home Services KoenigRubloff got a double holiday treat. Children could visit Santa Claus, tell him what they wanted for Christmas and then play dreidel, a traditional Hanukkah game.
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter.
