Weather changes plans for Lights Up
By From staff reports
Published in News on November 26, 2013 1:46 PM
Predictions of high winds and a stormy night will not stop the city's annual Christmas lights ceremony downtown -- but it will curtail it a bit, officials said.
Horse trolley rides will not be offered at Downtown Lights Up and other changes are being made to prepare for inclement weather, Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. officials said today.
Mayor Al King will still throw the switch to turn on the city's holiday lights at 5:30 p.m. today from the City Hall front steps as planned.
The city will not have a large tent set up in front of City Hall and some booths will be moved inside while others will be canceled altogether.
The Partnership for Children and Purrrfect friends booths have been canceled due to space constraints.
The balloon and clown booths have been moved to the finance and information technology department hallways of the second floor of the City Hall Annex.
"People will be asked to stand outside for a little bit of time tonight to have the right amount of people inside," DGDC Administrative Assistant Elizabeth Rutland said. "We have to control the number of people for fire codes. We will have volunteers helping us keep up with how many people we have inside."
Small tents will be placed outside to help keep people out of the weather as well.
People will enter through the City Hall annex lobby where children can make food to lay out for Santa's reindeer.
Balloon animals and face painting will be available while children and their families wait to see Santa in the large conference room of the City Hall Annex.
Wine and Design will be in the conference room with Santa offering painting activities.
After seeing Santa, families will be asked to leave through the Mulberry Street exit of the annex where hot cocoa will be provided by the Kiwanis Club.
Should the weather get bad, the hot cocoa table will be moved indoors.
Goldsboro police and fire department vehicles planned to be at the event will not be on display.
Winds are expected to peak at 16 mph around 7 p.m.
A high of 66 is expected around 7 p.m. with lows in the mid-30s.
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-60s during Downtown Lights Up with a chance of rain near 100 percent.
Trolley rides will still be available Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 3 through Dec. 17.