The Newtown Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a fundraising drive for the 31st Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and luminaria display that will be part of the annual tree lighting at Ram Pasture. This year’s event is scheduled for Friday, December 4.

Activities including caroling and visits with Santa will begin at 6:30, and the tree will be lit at 7 pm. The tree is on the western side of Hawley Pond, near the corner of Elm Drive and Hawley Road.

After 30 years of co-chairing the event, Diana Johnson is handing coordinating of the holiday event off to Chamber of Commerce acting office manager Renia Marini. With three decades of tradition already in place, Ms Marini calls the event, and the work that begins ramping up this time each year, “a well-oiled machine.”

Lights for the tree at Ram Pasture are being checked, candles have been ordered and bags planned for luminaria, Santa and Mrs Claus have marked their calendar, and sponsors are being lined up.

“Rain, snow, or shine, this year’s event will take place on December 4,” Ms Marini promised recently.

The 31st tree lighting will look similar to the 29th tree lighting, and most of the celebrations before that. An attempt to try something new last year with the luminaria that surrounds Ram Pasture and many nearby streets will not be repeated, said Ms Marini.

“In the interest of safety, we tried something new last year,” Ms Marini said. In place of candles, the Tree Lighting Committee used glow sticks inside the paper bags for luminaria. Unfortunately, warmer than expected temperatures for last year’s tree lighting led to a very disappointing display. The glow sticks, organizers learned, did not work well in the warmer weather, and residents were hard pressed to see the faint glow from inside the white paper bags.

“We will be using candles again, but they will be extinguished at 10 pm,” Ms Marini said. Parks & Recreation staff and other volunteers will have the task of putting out all of the candles a few hours after the celebration at Ram Pasture.

Donations are sought to help cover the cost of the event. Readers are invited to contribute $10 for a bulb or luminaria to honor someone special. The annual fund drive continues until the end of the year.

Checks should be made payable to Newtown Chamber of Commerce and mailed to Newtown Chamber of Commerce, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470. Donations can also be dropped off at the chamber office, located on the main floor of the former town hall building.

A drop slot is available on the door of the chamber office so that donations can be securely left if the office is not open when donors stop by.

For additional information contact Ms Marini at 203-426-5679 or 203-426-2695.