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photo by Hannah Reel
Cars drive past the Christmas displays on the Vidalia Riverfront Saturday evening.
Riverfront aglow with Christmas
Published Sunday, November 29, 2009
NATCHEZ — With 26 holiday scenes on exhibit this year, the Vidalia Riverfront Christmas display is growing in popularity not only among businesses and organizations, but with visitors as well.
Spanning three-quarters of a mile along the riverfront, the exhibit is drawing the attention of tourists and locals, alike.
Since beginning in 2006, Director of the Vidalia Riverfront H.L Irvin said the display has grown by a few holiday sets each year, and this year has been the exhibit’s most successful year yet.
Photo by Hannah Reel
A car slows as it passes one of the Christmas displays on the Vidalia Riverfront Saturday evening. The display of lit Christmas scenes runs along the riverfront south of the Mississippi River bridge. It is open for walkers or passing cars from 5:30 to 10 p.m. every day. Many of the exhibits are former International Paper decorations that the City of Vidalia has restored.
And while there is no charge to view the exhibit, Irvin said organizations with scenes on display have to pay a one-time fee to have their set for years to come.
Irvin said the cost of a set ranges from upwards of $1,000.
The sets on display were modeled after International Paper decorations displayed in the 1950s and 1960s.
Once businesses and organizations purchase their sets, the Riverfront not only builds and stores the Christmas scenes, it takes care of them and puts them out yearly without additional charge.
“This isn’t just a one-year thing,” Irvin said. “The proceeds from organizations purchasing the scenes go toward building and maintaining the displays."
Irvin said the display covers the riverfront with lights and holiday scenes and Christmas carols are played at each animated holiday set transition.
Alice Thorpe of Vidalia visited the exhibit Saturday night with her granddaughter Mason Elizabeth, 3. The duo views the Christmas displays each year.
“I love it. I come here every year,” Thorpe said. “(Mason Elizabeth) has been coming out here long before she knew what we were doing.”
Thorpe said she makes it a point to see the display at least once a week while it’s available for the season.
Saturday night, Earl Warden and daughter, Bailey Warden, 7, were taking in the sights and sounds of the riverfront on foot.
“I’ve been out here last year, and I think the year before that,” Bailey Warden said. “All the lights and the Christmas tree (are my favorites.)”
Warden said sometimes she comes out to the displays multiple times during the Christmas season.
Earl Warden said he could see a difference in this year’s display as the pair walked through the exhibit.
“It looks like it gets bigger each year,” he said. “We usually drive through it, but it’s nice out.”
Gwen Carnette, of Natchez, her daughter Stacey and her granddaughter Ashley, 3, both of Clinton, said they were enjoying their weekend together and taking in the lights.
“(The exhibit) is quaint like an old-fashioned Christmas,” Carnette said.
Carnette said her granddaughter was enjoying the drive and was on the lookout for a special holiday someone.
The exhibit is open from 5:30 to 10 p.m. every day of the week.
“She was saying ‘Santa Claus, come out, come out, wherever you are,’” Carnette said.
Miss-Lou residents and visitors will have a chance to see Santa until Jan. 2 when the exhibit is packed away until next year.
Comments
Posted by vilou (anonymous) on November 29, 2009 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The displays are not the ones the IP had for all those years. The city of Natchez still has those. The displays on the riverfront were made by the employees of Vidalia. They got a few ideas from the Natchez displays but these are strictly the talent of the employees of Vidalia and Burnley Cook. Thanks to all their hard work we can remember the holidays of years ago when it was not Christmas until we went to the IP to enjoy their displays. Everyone bring your children and enjoy the riverfront and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on November 29, 2009 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I beg to differ with you "vilou".. there are a few original displays that Lanus Hammack made and were restored by Burnley.
Posted by vilou (anonymous) on November 29, 2009 at 11:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lovesnatchez, out of the 26 which ones or IP's? The only one I can remember might be the Elves with the toy shop.
Posted by hitchcock (anonymous) on November 30, 2009 at 2:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The only thing I am sure about one of the men that did the IP display's was colored blined.
It's Christmas stop arguing about who did what, how many children care?
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on November 30, 2009 at 7:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Noone's arguing Hitchcock. I just wanted Mr. Hammack to get his credit..lol..
vilou; I think you're right on the elves, I really think the ones that go from night to day are Lanus' also. It really doesn't matter, I still love them all:)
Posted by Burnley (anonymous) on November 30, 2009 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To set the record straight-
Mr. Irwin is incorrect in his statement that the displays were once at I.P., and were restored for Vidalia.
None of the displays that Vidalia has are original pieces. There are a few reproductions based upon the originals from I.P., those being the Snowmen that are at the beginning and end of the displays, the two Santa depictions with his jalopy, the Workshop scene, the elves skiing down the snowslope, the Kitchen scene,the Old Watermill, the Blizzard/snowing scene, and the Manger scene. Those were all originally the design of Lanus Hammack.
All the other displays are new depictions, mainly based out of books. And some were built off of patterns available from Craft City.
The pieces that Natchez has, while very few and unfortunately in deplorable state, are originals from the later I.P. days, when the displays made a resurgence but were vastly scaled down. Several are signed by Mr. Hammack.
I am flattered that many people thought and have expressed to me that they thought several of them were originals, with artwork done by Mr. Hammack. Flattered, because his work was so NICE!
I only worked on the displays the first year, until an unfortunate falling out with several of the city employees forced me out. I don't personally care for all the glittering that has been done to everything- it kind of ruins the look of the artwork and cheapens it. Just my opinion, though.
Wish Natchez would take interest in doing such things. Boy, have I got ideas.....
Merry Christmas!
Posted by vilou (anonymous) on November 30, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Burnley, thank you for your comments. You and the employees did a wonderful job. I just thought with all the hard work that went into the displays the ones that did them should get the credit. Thanks to Mr. Hammack and the workers at IP that gave us so much joy over the years. I saw the displays without the glitter and they were dull. The glitter brought the displays to life. Just my opinion. The artwork is fantastic. Everyone have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on December 3, 2009 at 6:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hi "Vilou", I owe you an apology:)... I would have bet some of these were original. No matter, we're fortunate to be able to see these "new" works of art. THANKS BURNLEY.
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