Community celebrates holiday lighting ceremony Friday night
–Friday night, several thousand people waited on the west side of the Rotunda for city officials to throw the switch to light up City Hall and the trees in the Sunken Gardens.
Mayor Heather Moreno led about thirty children in a countdown from ten, and the holiday lights magically illuminated.
The Atascadero Community Band played Christmas classics, sometimes accompanied by a local youth choir.
An antique fire truck brought Santa to the celebration, then gave families rides around the Sunken Gardens. Tommy Harris gave hayrides on a wagon pulled by two huge Belgian horses.
Many of those who attended bought tickets to tour downtown retail stores which provided wine or beer tastings. The Fairweather Four Barbershop Quartet serenaded those strolling along Entrada and Traffic Way.
Other celebrants crossed the pedestrian bridge to attend the grand opening for Wild Fields Brewhouse across the plaza from the Galaxy Theater.
Atascadero kicked off the holiday season, leading up to Winter Wonderland on Dec. 13, which is one of the biggest events of the year on the Central Coast.
