SHELBY — The warm glow from a 24-foot Christmas tree was a pleasant distraction from the bitter cold Sunday evening.
Folks gathered around the fireplace, clutched their hot cocoa and huddled close together at the Black Fork Commons Plaza in downtown Shelby to watch the official tree lighting, which followed a parade down Main Street.
The tree was donated by the Curry family in honor of their parents Linda and Denny Curry.
Members of the Curry family conducted the tree lighting countdown Sunday night, which was followed by a holiday fireworks display.
The Curry family also donated a second tree for the community bandstand — decorated by the Shelby Flower Girls, a local beautification group — along with a large holiday wreath for the plaza’s fireplace.
“Our parents loved Christmas and believed deeply in giving back to the community that gave so much to them,” Steve Curry, son of Denny and Linda, previously said. “We hope these trees and decorations bring joy to families who gather downtown each holiday season, just as our family always loved doing together.”
Two nine-foot nutcrackers were another new edition to the plaza this year, donated by Paul and Carolyn Armstrong.
Shelby Mayor Steve Schag and Carrie Kemerer, executive director of The Shelby Foundation, both spoke prior to the tree lighting. Schag and Kemerer each highlighted the beauty of the donations to downtown this holiday season.
“Main Street has never looked so good and it is going to look even better in the days ahead,” Schag said Sunday.
Below are more photos from Shelby’s Christmas In the City parade on Sunday evening.
