Light up Lakewood kicks off tomorrow, and one of the many holiday events around the city is the encore production of “Beauty and the Beast at the Beck Center for the Arts. Here Amiee Collier plays Mrs. Potts and Miles Sternfeld, Chip, in the 2005 Beck Center production. (Photo courtesy of www.fredsternfeld.com)

Town lures crowds with lights, action
By Jennifer Mitchell
Lakewood
Published Nov. 29, 2006

When the trees are bare and the grass is brown, Americans’ have a time-honored tradition that never fails to beautify the barren landscape — holiday lights.

In Lakewood, the colorful Christmas season kicks off tomorrow with a 5 p.m. lighting ceremony at Sinagra Park, surrounded by the sounds of song sung by McKinley Elementary School singers. After that, Light up Lakewood kicks off in earnest with a variety of free and fee activities throughout the lakeside town.

Main Street Lakewood, the city of Lakewood, Lakewood’s Chamber of Commerce and citizen action group LakewoodAlive came together to pull off the weekend-long event.

Children can make a free visit to the Lakewood Public Library, 15425 Detroit Ave. at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday to spend time with To the Max! (and Ruby) for A Special Holiday Weekend Wonder and various family activities in the Children’s Activity Room.

Groups are scheduled to sing throughout the weekend, including Braille Notes from the Cleveland Sight Center, at noon Friday in the Lakewood Hospital Atrium, 14519 Detroit Ave.

At 5:45 p.m. catch the St. Edward hockey game at the Winterhurst Ice Rink. Call (216) 529-4400 for ticket prices.

A free 7 p.m. Films on Friday, features “Miracle on 34th Street” in the library’s main auditorium. Also at 7, Lakewood Congregational Church, 1375 West Clifton Blvd. puts on the Ye Olde Boar’s Head Festival. The 30-year-old tradition is steeped in the Olde English world, featuring madrigal singers in period costume, medieval magic, the traditional Wassail toast, the court jester and a “feaste” fit for a king. Other Boar’s Head dates are scheduled at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Dec. 8, and 4:30 p.m. Dec. 10. Call the church at (216) 221-9555 for ticket information.

The nearby Beck Center opens the classic favorite “Beauty and the Beast” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with additional show dates throughout the month of December. Call the performing arts center at (216) 521-2540 for ticket and additional show date information.

The fun continues Saturday, when Santa and the Elf Shelf come to breakfast at Lakewood Catholic Academy, 14808 Lake Ave., from 9 a.m. to noon. For required advance tickets, visit www.lakewoodcatholicacademy.com.

The Beck Center opens its doors to the Direct Sellers Benefit and E-Z Shopping from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., and the Historical Society holds a sale on the Nicholson House grounds 14710 Lake Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At 11 a.m. some new residents will get the best holiday present of all — citizenship — during a Naturalization Ceremony and Reception hosted by the Lakewood League of Women Voters, at Lakewood High School, 14100 Franklin Blvd.

Back at Sinagra Park, an ice sculpture demonstration featuring carolers and hot cocoa runs from 1 to 3 p.m. followed by a 3 p.m. matinee in the library’s main auditorium of “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Watch the puck fly for the second night in a row as the Lakewood High School hockey team hits the Winterhurst rink at 6 p.m.

The Historical Society sale continues from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday and from 4 to 7 p.m., the organization will give tours by candlelight of the city’s treasured Oldest Stone House. At 2:30 pm the Lakewood Hometown Band brings the sounds of the season as it puts on a free concert at Lakewood Civic Auditorium, 14100 Franklin Blvd.

To promote shopping throughout the city during Light up Lakewood weekend, the Chamber of Commerce has organized a scavenger hunt with help from the nonprofit Gingham Goose Gift Shop, 1394 Cranford Ave. Pick up a form at the chamber, Gingham Goose, and local businesses. Then stop in at the retailers listed on the form to find a glittery letter displayed somewhere in that location. Once you find all the letters, unscramble them to spell out a holiday word. Return the completed form to the Chamber office at 14701 Detroit, Ave., No. 130, by Dec. 7 to be entered into the grand prize drawing for a children’s 20-inch BMX bike, courtesy of Spin Bike Shop. All participants have to do is stop and look for letters.

In addition to Gingham Goose, participating businesses are River Colors Studio, 1387 Sloane Ave.; Breadsmith, 18101 Detroit Ave.; Sweet Designs, 16100 Detroit; Lion

& Blue, 15106 Detroit ; Geiger’s Clothing & Sporting Goods, 14710 Detroit; The Nicholson House, 13335 Detroit; Spin Bike Shop, Inc., 14515 Madison Ave.; Goddess Blessed, 15725 Madison; and Brennan’s Floral Gift Shop, 13396 Madison.

Light up Lakewood brochures listing all the events, participating businesses with a map, and scavenger hunt forms are available at locations throughout the city. For more information call Main Street Lakewood at (216) 521-0655.