Christian Peterson
reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com
Christmas on the Square is one of the most significant events in Live Oak. It is a highlight that families look forward to each year. On top of that, each year, it gets bigger and bigger, with new booths, new events and new attractions. This year, the event started on Thursday, Dec. 5, with the lighting of the Christmas tree. The roads began to shut down, and as the evening came, a crowd started to gather in the square. There was music playing in the background, and elected officials, local community leaders, and even the Miss SHS pageant winners were invited to stand before the tree. Then Live Oak City Mayor Frank Davis let the pageant winners help him plug in the tree, lighting up the Square and signaling the beginning of the community celebration. Friday, Dec. 6, continued the celebration in the evening. This time, it has more unique attractions for the public to enjoy. The two big ticket items were snow and Santa Claus. The event boasted sledding and a snow pile for kids to play in, a highlight, especially for kids who have never been given the chance to see snow before. Then, the children were even more happy as Santa Claus, provided by Coca-Cola of Florida, arrived to listen to all their Christmas wishes. Of course, there were other reasons to spend the evening on the Square. There was live entertainment, arts and crafts shows and food vendors. Then, to top it all off, at 9 p.m., fireworks lit up the sky in a beautiful menagerie of colors. Finally, Saturday, Dec. 7, rolled around the final day of the festival. This time, it was an all-day event, as the Square opened at 8 a.m. The vendors have grown since Friday, and now there are over 300 vendors from across the United States present. Everything one could imagine was available, custom hats, shirts, cups and even air-filled chairs. Just across the Square on the stage were an assortment of different performances, including a special performance by Studio B dancers. Just down the street was a car show boasting an assortment of classic cars from around the area. Finally, the celebrations came to a close with the lighted Christmas parade. Citizens covered the sidewalk to watch the most popular parade in Live Oak and welcome the Christmas season.