by Rachel Hunter
Gouverneurians came together on Saturday, December 2 in the Gouverneur Village Park to celebrate the start of the 2023 holiday season.
The Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade and festivities in the Gouverneur Village Park on Saturday, December 2. The event featured fun for the whole family with the annual Christmas parade, visits with Santa Claus, live reindeer, draft horse pulled wagon rides, hot cocoa and cookies, and more. It was sponsored by the Chamber’s Marble Sponsor, Kinney Drugs, and Gold Sponsors, Kinney Drugs, Bonaparte Pharmacy, Community Health Center of the North Country, Empire Northeast (ENI), Gouverneur Hospital, and Lawrence Manor.
The fun started at 3 p.m. with the opportunity to visit with live reindeer from the Shortsville Reindeer Farm LLC in Shortsville, NY. This is the second year that the Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce has invited the farm to be part of the holiday festivities. The reindeer, named Brenda and Boo, enjoyed visiting with the North Country families in attendance, and many enjoyed taking photos with the reindeer while they were in the park until 4:45 p.m. North Country formed lines to see the reindeer and enjoy the draft horse-pulled wagon rides by Bango Valley Percherons in Richville around the Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association parking lot. The wagon rides were made possible with sponsorship by the MacFadden Dier Leonard Insurance Agency, Inc.
Many also enjoyed the opportunity to warm up in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur, enjoying hot cocoa and Christmas cookies. A total of 60 dozen were prepared in advance of the event by the culinary arts students at Southwest Tech (BOCES) in Fowler. North Country families also enjoyed participating in the Christmas coloring contest for a chance to win special prizes.
North Country families were awestruck by how the Village of Gouverneur Department of Public Works had decked out the Gouverneur Village Park in readiness for the holiday season. The park once again featured the lit snowflakes and arch décor that was purchased following the Chamber’s 2021 Light Up Our Village fundraising campaign. Over $20,000 was raised, thanks to nearly 50 local businesses and community members. The community was also impressed with all the holiday lights wrapped around and hanging from the trees in the Gouverneur Village Park. Others were thrilled to see the traditional wooden holiday decorations (Santa, nativity, carolers, and more) installed for the community’s enjoyment. New this year were the inflatable holiday décor that the Village of Gouverneur DPW debuted in the 2022 Chamber Christmas Parade. Local businesses were also open on Saturday night, and the Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce encouraged all to “shop local” this holiday season and beyond.
The festivities in the park were enjoyed even more thanks to the holiday music played by local DJ Bob Hughes.
By 5 p.m. on Dec. 2, the North Country families had lined the sidewalks to enjoy the annual Christmas parade and waved farewell to the live reindeer from Shortsville Reindeer Farm before the parade’s start. Traffic control was handled throughout the event by local law enforcement, led by the Village of Gouverneur Police Department.
The parade and festivities in the Gouverneur Village Park were announced by Gouverneur Chamber Director Connie Stowell, who expertly called out all the parade participants.
The lead car in the 2023 Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade was the Village of Gouverneur Police Department apparatus GPD-411, driven by Gouverneur Police Department Interim Police Chief Darren Fairbanks with passenger Carson Fairbanks and Kanon Fairbanks. Other law enforcement in the parade included the New York State Police K9 Unit (with K9 Officer Shaw) and St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office (with Sgt. Ryan Bogardus and Deputy Harshan Johal).
Local dignitaries in the parade included Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, and Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr.
The festively decorated Town of Gouverneur Highway Department plow truck pulled the Gouverneur Wildcat Football Program (including the Back-to-Back Section 10 and North Country SuperBowl Champions – the Varsity Football Wildcats) and the Gouverneur Wildcat Girls Basketball Program (including the Back-to-Back Section 10 Varsity Girls Basketball Champions). The ornately decorated Village of Gouverneur DPW truck was driven by Chris and Sally Fitzgerald.
The Gouverneur Chamber awarded its $50 prize to the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur for its “Angels Among Us” entry. Following a lit cross and led by Amber Ormasen, local youths danced as angels in glorious light down the parade route. First UMC Gouverneur Pastor Ben Lalka and many volunteers also joined carrying lit flameless candles. The judges, along with the rest of the Gouverneur community, were impressed with the festive light display.
The local businesses participating included Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce’s Marble Sponsor Kinney Drugs, which was founded in Gouverneur in 1903. The truck was driven by Jeff Knight. Other local businesses in the parade included Newvine’s NAPA Auto Parts in Gouverneur, Davis Livestock Sales, Inc., Route 11 Diner in Gouverneur, Con-Tech Building Systems, PIXELIT with holiday greetings from Northern Credit Union, and Greenhill Well Drilling (supporting Wounded Warrior Project). Local clubs and organizations participating included: Gouverneur Soccer Club (led by Coach Al), Bos Barn Farm, St. James School in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence Valley Draft Horse Club, New York Ram Club (six trucks featured).
The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association offered its holiday greetings, and encouraged the North Country to visit the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, which will be held July 30 to August 4, 2024. For more information, visit gouverneurfair.net.
The Gouverneur FFA Chapter also participated with happy holiday greetings, and a reminder to support local ag producers.
Tyler James Weir of Gouverneur encouraged the public to check out his YouTube channel, EverythingGuy226, which includes a short of the live reindeer at the Gouverneur Village Park.
Next was the Russell Fire Department’s E-104, driven by Assistant Chief Scott Cardinell and accompanied by Junior FF Chance Cardinell.
The Gouverneur Rescue Squad offered its wishes for a safe and happy holiday.
Following was Richville Volunteer Fire Department’s E-12 and R-28.
The Gouverneur Fire Department brought three apparatuses. Engine 17 was driven by Chief Tom Conklin with passenger FF TJ Gore. ETA-101 was driven by Past Chief Dale Johnson. Rescue 4 was driven by FF George Tweedie with passenger FF Amber Haynes. The Gouverneur Fire Department was tasked by the North Pole to safely bring Santa to the park so he could meet with all the local children – and many of the youngest set squealed in excitement as they spotted Santa Claus waving atop GFD’s Rescue 4.
Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall then took to the microphone to offer his holiday wishes to the community before officially welcoming Santa Claus to the Gouverneur community. Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and his helper elves were then directed to a festively decorated tent to visit with the local children. Santa’s throne was positioned in front of an ornately decorated Christmas tree, donated by the Gouverneur Lions Club, for the event. Red and green spotlights shined as eager youngsters ran into Santa’s awaiting arms. The youths told Santa Claus their Christmas wishes and were given special gifts from Santa Claus’ helpers. The Gouverneur community is looking forward to the new gazebo being installed in the Gouverneur Village Park before the 2024 Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade.
Much gratitude is extended to all those who contributed any type of service to the event’s success. For more information on the Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce, visit www.gouverneurchamber.net.