THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 26, 1995 TAG: 9511280495
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 109 lines
For years now, Norfolk has offered Portsmouth a breathtaking view of a skyline trimmed in holiday lights. This year, Portsmouth will return the favor and shine some of its buildings back.
When the switch gets pulled Dec. 2 on the 3,000 lights on the city's 25-foot Christmas tree, another 20,000 lights will outline three of Portsmouth's riverfront buildings.
The city will pay the cost of lighting City Hall; Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority will light the Trigon building and the Sheriff's Office will light the city jail.
Deputy City Manager C.W. ``Luke'' McCoy said many people, including Norfolk folks, have wanted to see the city light up the waterfront for the holidays over the years. But each year, it was decided the city could not afford to do so.
This year, city officials decided the it was a holiday project that could help light up the city's image and its desire to move forward.
The decision was made just three weeks ago, McCoy said, so it was a little late to start recruiting businesses to participate in the lighting of buildings.
``We're going to start with a few and hopefully some others will want to do it (next year),'' McCoy said.
In the future, McCoy envisions everything from the old Seaboard building and King's Crossing to the Holiday Inn and Harbor Tower outlined in light.
This year, besides the three waterfront buildings, the city will light up the atrium of the Children's museum, the information kiosk across the street and the entertainment centers in the Middle Street Mall.
And there is extra light down the middle of High Street this year too, thanks to the Olde Towne Portsmouth Association.
Two years ago, the association put luminaries down the sidewalks of High Street on the night of the merchant's holiday open house, said Dan Swanson, a co-chairman of the association's holiday committee.
This year, he said, ``we're going to put out luminaries for the whole season,'' said Swanson.
The candles will be lighted down the median of High Street this year.
``We're encouraging individual merchants who want to put some out around their individual stores too.''
Hopefully, the sand-bagged candles will add some old world charm to the city's electric illumination and attract folks down to Olde Towne's restaurants and retail shops.
There's certainly plenty to bring them there.
In addition to all the planned holiday events, there are several exhibits to see at the Arts Center and the faculty show at Tidewater Community College's Visual Arts Center.
And association members hope children making a Christmas vacation trek to the Children's Museum will tug their parents to High Street to see Santa Claus.
The association is sponsoring the old elf's visit to the information kiosk across the street from the Children's Museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Swanson said the association also has placed Olde Towne lanterns fashioned from bird feeders in restaurants and stores for Joy Fund donations.
Last year, both the Children's Museum and the Tidewater Community College Visual Arts Center had just opened when the holiday rolled around.
``You know I didn't see a tremendous difference in people last year,'' said Louise ``Sis'' Walden, president of the association and owner of the Olde Towne Flower Market. ``But both of them were so new.''
But she did see a difference in the attitude downtown.
``Merchants were so glad buildings were being filled in,'' she said. ``I think it can only be better for us as the years come along.''
Walden said she had visited a couple of other cities recently and that it made her realize how good Portsmouth's downtown looks.
``Our main street here is as attractive as any little city,'' she said. ``Other people who come here say the same thing.''
And it definitely looks great when it's all dressed up for Christmas.
The city calendar is filled with holiday happenings from downtown to Tower Mall and from the Arts Center to Willett Hall.
But one of the best times to see downtown in all it's holiday glory will probably be the evening of Dec. 2 when all of those lights go on and Santa brings up the rear on one of the biggest Christmas parades yet.
The Illumination Ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Veteran's Riverfront Park and the parade down High Street will be held at 7 p.m.
Close to 90 units have signed up.
``I think it just kind of builds from year to year,'' said Paul Forehand, administrator-coordinator in the city's Leisure Services Department.
Forehand said the parade planners are ``getting more interested in floats this year'' and that those units would be one of the award categories.
Wilson and Churchland high school bands will march in the parade and Forehand is still hoping that Norcom high school will be able to work out a scheduling conflict so that it can participate.
The parade will begin at Washington and High streets and continue down High to Crawford Street. In the case of inclement weather, the parade will be held at 5 p.m. Dec. 3.
``But it's not going to rain,'' said Forehand, ``not on my parade.'' ILLUSTRATION: [on the cover: The holiday poster on the cover by J. Robert
Burnell shows Willet Hall decorated for the holidays.]
Color photos by Mark Mitchell/ The Virginia Pilot
Left: [The lighting of the Christmas tree in Veteran's Riverfront
Park]
Right: [The horse hitching post in front of the historic Watts House
is typical of Olde Towne scenes each year.]
Below: [Coleman's new gingerbread House was built this year by James
Mintz.] by CNB