Thousands attend annual Lighting of the Doves
Thousands of people thronged Town Green Park on Saturday, Nov. 18, to participate in the various festivities leading up to the ceremonial Lighting of the Doves in The Woodlands Township.
Local school clubs and choirs gave performances throughout the day and vendors lined the edges of the park. Other acts included Texas Twirlers, live music by Uptown Drive, Sideline Spirit Cheer Company and Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston.
Shortly after the sky darkened, Gordy Bunch, who is the chairman of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors, took the stage and thanked the crowd in attendance. He also recognized the Township board members that were present and welcomed incoming Board of Trustees Member Carol Stromatt, who was elected on Nov. 7. Bunch then thanked everyone from volunteers to merchants for all the effort put in to holding the event.
“What a great way to kick off the holiday season here in The Woodlands,” Bunch said before recalling the brief history of the event. “The Lighting of the Doves is a tradition symbolizing peace during the holidays. The illumination of the giant doves has attracted thousands of residents and visitors each year, signaling the start of a magical season.”
The event started in 1982, he continued, when Ed Lee presented The Woodlands Corporation with the idea after a trip to Hong Kong where he saw a display of various illuminated animals. The Lighting of the Doves has taken place in various locations throughout The Woodlands and found its home in Town Green Park in 1995.
“Lighting of the Doves involves the effort of hundreds of community participants including volunteers, vendors, merchants, workers and more. And without our community showing up, this event would not be as great as it has become,” Bunch concluded.
After Bunch left the stage, Santa Claus could be heard coming up The Woodlands Waterway. He greeted the crowd with a jolly “Merry Christmas” as they cheered and clapped at his arrival. He read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” before listening to children’s wishes. Requests were made for all sorts of goodies, including hover boards, bicycles and even a grand piano. One unknown boy made a wish not for himself, but for there to be “peace for the military overseas.”
Santa Claus once again wished everyone a Merry Christmas and then began the countdown to the dove illumination. Hundreds of voices chanted backward from 10 and filled the park as the LED doves lit up the night closely followed by a burst of fireworks. As the show concluded, people continued to mill about the activity booths or filtered out of the park, having officially rung in the holiday season.
— Patricia Dillon is a features reporter for The Woodlands Villager. Contact her at her office 713-362-4433 or on Twitter: @Dillon_Villager.