PENDLETON — It’s been a frequent message this year: “(Insert event name) has been canceled because of COVID-19.”

Locally, Christmas in Pendleton was one of the big ones that got nixed.

Some people in town, however, are turning their pandemic fatigue into a festive force, fueling the creation of what might be a new local holiday tradition: Falls Park Hometown Christmas, a drive-thru light and decorations display at the park.

“We just thought it’s been such a difficult year, and so many things didn’t get to happen that were planned, that we just thought this would be a way to just shine up the park and to spread a little Christmas joy and light,” said Jo Scott, a Friends of Falls Park member who has helped coordinate the effort.

More than 20 organizations, businesses and local families have contributed time and resources to decorating areas in Falls Park, so that everyone can enjoy an old-fashioned — and, yes, socially distanced — good time.
There are gingerbread houses, lighted trees and a variety of other scenes spread throughout the park. People will be able to drive or walk through the span of displays.
Scott, who is on the 10-member event committee, said people have been working on their displays for some time in preparation for the official kickoff Saturday, Dec. 5, north of the gazebo.
“We’re simply going to light the 9-foot tall Christmas tree in the meditation garden area … at 6 o’clock, and Brent Schnepp is going to lead us in some caroling,” Scott said. “We thought in that area, it would be a good place if people wanted to see it but didn’t want to get out of their cars. There’s quite a bit of parking around there and on Pendleton Avenue.”
The park displays will remain in place, with lights on from dusk till dawn, through Jan. 10.
Participating groups and the area they’re decorating include:
Pendleton Garden Club, northeast corner of Water Street/Pendleton Avenue intersection;
Barger family, tall pine trees east of Water Street/Pendleton Avenue intersection;
Friends of the Pendleton Community Library, Lending Tree Library;
American Family Insurance, fountain area;
Pendleton moms group, small evergreens in the playground area;
Boy Scouts, grassy area at the base of the U.S. flag by the new restroom facilities.
Solis Insurance Group, small park shelter;
Historic Fall Creek Settlement, gazebo;
Anson family, meditation garden;
Smith Family Farms, storage building known as the duck barn;
Pendleton AMVETS and American Legion posts, military memorial area north of the lighthouse pond;
Bob Post, installed special bulb in the lighthouse;
Bring Change to Mind Club at Pendleton Heights High School, deck on the north side of the creek;
Amy Turner/State Farm Insurance, bridge at the falls;
Pendleton Historical Museum board, the museum building;
Pendleton Lions Club, Falls Park Community Building;
Pendleton Kiwanis Club, Kiwanis shelter;
Hudson family, a fence display;
Hoppes family, old concession stand building;
The Real Estate Pros of Keller Williams, Falls Bark Dog Park;
Hupfer family, lampposts throughout park.
A handful of the participants have put up some decorations at the park previously.
Scott credits fellow committee member Sandi Butler, whose family has decorated the gazebo for years, with coming up with the drive-thru idea.
Butler said the idea came to her one day as she was mulling over how COVID-19 changed life this year.
“Pendleton for years and years and years have always had something going on every month through the summer months,” Butler said. “And (this year) we had absolutely nothing — we didn’t have homecoming, we didn’t have June Jamboree, we didn’t have Heritage Fair, we had absolutely nothing.
“And I was laying in bed and I got to thinking about all that, and I said, ‘We’ve got to do something to make Pendleton amazing, since it’s always an amazing town, we just need to do something outstanding, and you know, I thought, we could do a drive-thru through the park. It just popped into my mind. I brought this up at the Friends of the Park — I said we need to decorate every area in this park and have a drive-thru to finish this year off with a bang, you know, with an amazing show, and they all just jumped on it.”
Butler said the community response has been tremendous. She initially estimated at least 60 people are involved in the project; but she boosted that estimate to 100 or more, if one counts the people who have helped out randomly.
Mandee Sears, director of operations at The Real Estate Pros, said when the company was approached about decorating the dog park, “We jumped at the chance!”
She said in an email that the employee team is comprised of “BIG dog lovers and advocates,” and their holiday display reflects that: It includes “big head” photos of employees’ dogs with a banner wishing people “Happy Howlidays!”
“We hope we can do it again next year and add to the big dog heads on the fence,” Sears said.
According to Scott, that wish stands a good chance of coming true.
“We’re hoping to build on it each year, just make it a tradition,” she said.

If you go:

Falls Park Hometown Christmas

Organized by Friends of Falls Park

Tree lighting — 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in the meditation garden to kickoff a month long Falls Park Hometown Christmas in the park.

After the lighting there will be caroling and ribbons for people to place wishes on the tree.