Wilton Center has gotten dressed up in time to say, “Season’s Greetings!” as town Parks and Recreation crews put the finishing touches on decorating lampposts and other areas in Wilton’s main shopping area on Monday afternoon.
Town officials celebrated the addition of brand new banners that adorn Wilton Center lampposts, which show off a combination of wintery snowflakes and Wilton’s town colors of blue-and-white. They’re eagerly anticipating this Friday evening’s annual Holiday Stroll. (Pictured above, L-R: Parks & Rec director Steve Pierce, first selectman Lynne Vanderslice, Wilton Library Association executive director Elaine Tai-Lauria, Economic Development Commission chair Vivian Lee-Shiue and Wilton Chamber of Commerce executive director Debra Hanson.)
“The addition of the snowflake banners, the EDC’s Winter Palace Contest, and the bonfire and marshmallow roast are all part of an initiative to encourage people to come and enjoy downtown Wilton in the winter. It’s a theme we’ll be continuing throughout the winter,” Vanderslice says, hinting there are other events in the works that will draw people into town.
In addition to the new banners and garlands and bows, Wilton’s “Big Red Chair” is back, although this year Vanderslice asked that it be moved from near the Town Green Gazebo to the Chess Park near Schenck’s Island. She says it’s another thing to encourage people to walk around downtown and expand their route a little further.
The first test of that hope will be this Friday evening, Dec. 2 for Wilton’s annual Holiday Stroll. Santa arrives at the Town Green at 5:30 p.m. to help light Wilton’s tree, and everyone is invited to stop into local stores and businesses for specials and refreshments. At 6:30 p.m., the EDC is hosting a bonfire and marshmallow roast at Schenck’s Island. Stop by for a photo op at the Big Red Chair along the way.
Earlier today, EDC chair Lee-Shiue posted on social media about an idea she had thought of to build on Vanderslice’s promotion of enjoying winter in downtown Wilton. “The EDC would like to invite you to post pictures this year and use the hashtag #winterindowntownwilton (and if you feel so inclined, use also #love06897)–be sure to set your privacy setting on the photo to ‘global’ if you do so. If we get enough pictures we will collect the pictures at the end of the season and pull together a collage for everyone to enjoy.”