CHICOPEE – Mayor John Vieau is making preparations for a few festive Christmas gatherings to break in the holiday season.

On Dec. 3, the city will be hosting their yearly Christmas Tree Lighting from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Vieau will arrive to the event at 5 p.m., meeting Santa and lighting the city’s tree upon his arrival. Before the mayor arrives to the event, the mayor’s Communications and Special Projects Manager Rachel Beaulieu explained that entertainment and ChicopeeTV will be present to celebrate the holiday spirit. All of Chicopee is welcomed to attend the downtown event. “We think it’s a festive way to bring in the holidays,” said Beaulieu.

After the tree lighting, soup, hot chocolate and other refreshments will be served in City Hall Auditorium. Vieau also explained that city employment opportunities will be offered, allowing inquiring patrons to learn and apply for different available positions.

The other event teams the mayor’s office with the RiverMills Senior Center to host trips to Bright Nights for senior citizens. This event has become a traditioned staple in Chicopee, but as Beaulieu explained, the gathering has had to adopt to the evolving conditions of the pandemic. “We had to adjust the usual plan with everything going on with the pandemic,” said Beaulieu.

Instead of the event taking place on one night, Beaulieu shared that the trips will be happening five nights over the week of Dec. 13. The mask-mandated event will be open to 250 seats, with trips occurring each weekday starting at 5 p.m.
Beaulieu said the event will open with the mayor addressing attendees at RiverMills before the bus leaves at 5:30 p.m. Past years have featured a spaghetti dinner for attendees. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, the event will now provide attendees with hot chocolate mix and cookies instead.

Readers interested in signing up for the Bright Nights event can call RiverMills at 534-3698 or Beaulieu at 594-1506. Readers can also learn more about the Christmas Tree Lighting event by following the city’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/cityofchicopee.