Johnny Alvarado fastens a snow flake to the frame.
BY MADDY VITALE
Bright red bows with gold trim, green garland wrapped around old-fashioned lamp posts, twinkling lights and trees decorated with big colorful ornaments are transforming a popular summer shore town into a nostalgic winter wonderland.
And those aren't even all of the decorations to be displayed this holiday season in Sea Isle City.
Toy soldiers make a fun and whimsical presence at the City Hall entrance.
"Sea Isle City is a wonderful place to spend the holiday season for a variety of different reasons, one being that the City's administration always puts its best foot forward to ensure that our town has a festive atmosphere each December,” said Sea Isle City Public Information Officer Katherine Custer. “We often hear from residents and visitors alike how nice the town looks during the holidays.”
The old-fashioned lamp posts adorned in garland and bows add to the winter wonderland.
Rileigh’s Outdoor Décor, of Allentown, Pa., and the city’s Public Works Department each do a share of the decorating.
“We are putting up garland at City Hall next,” said Mike Moyer Jr., a Rileigh’s employee.
But first, the crew worked to install the Season’s Greetings sign in front of City Hall on JFK Boulevard for all travelers to see.
The team had just put up garland on the lamp posts at the circle around Excursion Park and in that area of Landis Avenue.
The tree at Excursion Park is home to the well-attended tree lighting ceremony year after year.
The towering Excursion Park tree, resplendent with decorations year after year, is home to the popular mayor's tree lighting ceremony. The tree lighting is set for 6:30 p.m. to cap off the Holiday Extravaganza parade starting at 6 p.m. on Nov. 29.
“I heard they have a really big tree lighting ceremony,” Moyer said with a smile. “We’ve been decorating Sea Isle longer than I’ve been here. Probably about 20 years.”
The Rileigh's workers completed draping the holiday lights around the street lamps early Tuesday and also installed snowflake decorations along the main entryway into town.
Rileigh’s employee Johnny Alvarado was busy fastening the snowflakes to the Season’s Greetings sign.
Johnny Alvarado puts up a decorative snowflake.
Soon, across the street from City Hall, will also be a festive display at the Sea Isle City Welcome Center.
The lawn will be decorated with three giant gold, blue and red Christmas balls that should catch the eye of just about any visitor.
And while motorists may not notice just yet, at nightfall it is pretty certain that they will catch a glimpse of Santa's elves standing alongside each side of the entryway arch into the historic Fish Alley neighborhood.
The city's Public Works employees trimmed the Veterans Park tree and also did some of the decorating around town.
