Bellaire’s 2015 Holiday in the Park

Local youth performing at Bellaire's Holiday in the Park.

This past Thursday, Dec. 3, from 6-8:30 p.m. was Bellaire's annual "Holiday in the Park" in Town Square. It was quite a welcome for the holiday season - complete with lots of snow, treats of all kinds and live performances! Inside Bellaire City Hall, holiday cheer was spread through story-telling and right outside, there was free hot chocolate, thanks to Bellaire United Methodist Church. 

The event was decked with some crazy Christmas attire, beautiful lights and tents set up with different activities available. A mini train - I believe it was the Polar Express - took a short route around the park, and let neighbors off by a lively petting zoo and a live pony carousel. There were people of all ages glad to be out there, and many volunteers, some from Bellaire Leo Club for example, were keeping their energy up to satisfy the park-goers. 
    

Kaitlyn Marcell, her father and Santa pose for a picture.

Later, the moment we had all been waiting for: Santa arrived on a beautiful candy-apple red fire truck, sirens blaring and all. Santa majestically took a ladder down from the top of the truck and was swarmed with paparazzi until he made it to the Bellaire Gazebo, where he took pictures with kids and families. 

The park was stocked with booths for local restaurants, small businesses and for charitable causes. Holiday in the Park was a tradition for me growing up, and I am glad to see that it has expanded even more since I was a kid.