A laser show illuminated treetops and brightened smiles Friday at this year’s Zion Park District Christmas Tree Lighting event.
Holiday caroling featured singers from Zion Elementary School District 6 and Zion-Benton Township High School District 126.
“We love sharing music because it brings people a lot of joy, especially this time of year, and it’s nice to be with others in the community and being together,” District 126 choral director Jennifer Rickert said.
One of the highlights of the event was the flip of a switch to light up a half-dozen yule trees on the north lawn outside of the Zion Park District Leisure Center.
Mayor Billy McKinney presided over the group countdown to the turning on of the lights.
“It’s just a great time of the year; a year of giving and appreciation where everybody can get together and celebrate the reason for the season,” he said.
A professional laser light show followed, shimmering up treetops into Shiloh Park with rays also bouncing off a church across the street and its parking lot. Many people sat in their vehicles in the frosty cold to watch the lengthy laser show.
Zion siblings Miyah Smith, 8, and Zaria Etyem huddled together outside to watch the show before finishing their experience in the warmth of a car.
“It’s good,” Miyah said simply about the presentation.
The evening also offered the opportunity to cap the experience for motorists who could drive through the lighted trail near the leisure center. The Shiloh Park holiday drive-through show is a decades-long annual tradition for many families.
Gina Roberts of Beach Park, the District 4 Lake County Board member who represents Zion, Beach Park and Winthrop Harbor, was in the audience.
“I love coming here,” she said. “It’s just such a great sense of community, and everybody just feels the spirit of Christmas.”
Indoors, people could participate in ornament-making to add to the holiday tree called the “positivi-tree.”
Taking part were Josh and Rosielyn Sheridan of Zion, and their 15-month-old son Lucas, 15 months. Josh Sheridan’s wish for the holidays is, “to be thankful just for family.“
Tiffany Taylor-Pipes watched son Taylor Pipes, 11, a seventh-grader, perform with the choir.
“As a lifelong resident of Zion, it’s a blessing to be able to see him here helping the community make memories,” she said.
Zion is, “a beautiful place to be,” Taylor-Pipes added. “I always call it the Hallmark town. I kind of wish they would come and do a movie here.”
