Upcoming parade, tree lighting usher in holiday season

PHOTO INFORMATION:

Pictured are holiday events underwriters and organizers, from left, Stephanie Turek, Frisbie Memorial Hospital; Deputy Police Chief Gary Boudreau; Matt Beaulieu, Service Credit Union and Chamber Chairman of the Board; and Holiday Events Committee members - Lisa Clark, Rochester Public Works who organizes the tree each year; Janet Oliver, Unitil; Leah Roth, The Commons Church; Alan Johnson, MetroCast; Norm Sanborn, Holiday Events Committee Chairman and Laura Ring, Chamber President.

ROCHESTER - The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is gearing up to kick off the holiday season with their annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Holiday Parade.

Rochester's Tree Lighting, underwritten by Frisbie Memorial Hospital, will be held on Friday, Dec., 1, from 5:30 -6:30 pm in central square in downtown Rochester.

Those who attend will enjoy hot chocolate and cookies provided by Citizens Bank; dance performances provided by Studio 109 Dance, Voice & Drama; holiday caroling by the Frisbie Carolers; cookie decorating at the Chamber office courtesy of Rochester Child Care, a nativity scene photo booth courtesy of The Commons Church in the parking lot at the corner of Hanson Street and South Main Streets and a very special visit from Santa!

Children may visit Santa at Federal Savings Bank, located at 17 Wakefield St., between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. Be sure to bring your camera for pictures!

Mayor Caroline McCarley will be lighting Rochester's tree for the first time of the 2017 holiday season and will provide a reading of "The Night Before Christmas."

Service Credit Union is sponsoring a collection to benefit children at the Homeless Center for Strafford County. Items to be collected include new books for children ages 8-17, new puzzles for children ages 12-plus, toilet paper, and paper towels. Items can be dropped off the evening of the Tree Lighting or at Service Credit Union branches in Rochester located at 90 South Main St., at 116 Farmington Road (inside WalMart) or to the Chamber office until Dec. 16.

The Chamber will also present the Rochester Holiday Parade, underwritten by Service Credit Union, on Sunday, Dec. 3, beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Rochester's Holiday Parade will begin on Wakefield Street by the triangle at the entrance to the Richard Creteau Technology Center, continue south on Wakefield Street, turn right onto Union Street, turn left on North Main Street through downtown Rochester and end on South Main Street by the Rochester Commons. A number of roads on and adjacent to this route will be closed between 2:30 and 4:30 pm.

"A Hometown Christmas" is the official theme for the 2017 parade which will feature many entries including floats, marching bands, mobile and marching units. Floats will be judged in three divisions of youth, organization and commercial with each division awarded a first, second and third place trophy and a "Best of Parade" trophy will be awarded.

The Holiday Parade Committee also supports the Toy Bank campaign conducted by the Rochester Fire Department which helps hundreds of families in the area. Financial contributions or new toys for infants up through the age of 14 are being collected for both boys and girls. Toys may be dropped off at the Rochester or Gonic Fire Stations or the Rochester Chamber Office until Dec. 16. For more information on the Toy Bank campaign, contact Cindi Potts at 603-335-7545.

For more information on Rochester's Holiday Tree Lighting or Holiday Parade, contact the Chamber office at 603-332-5080 or visit us online at www.rochesternh.org.