SHELBURNE FALLS — When darkness falls on Friday afternoon, Moonlight Magic will be ready to showcase its old traditions alongside new additions.
This year, Moonlight Magic has been community-organized, composed of a brigade of local business leaders and volunteers, all spearheaded by Molly Cantor, of Molly Cantor Pottery.
“Things are falling into place,” Cantor said. “It’s been a lot of organization and coordination.”
This year’s parade will feature crowd favorites, like Santa and Mrs. Claus, and bring in demonstrations from a ukulele band, a zumba dance troupe, a martial arts organization and an Irish dance group, said parade organizers Laura Iveson, of Art Garden, and Michelle Olanyk, owner of Mo’s Fudge Factor.
The two are using a “wing-it and make it work” approach, Iveson said.
“You say you’re going to do it, you make it happen and you find a way to make it beautiful,” she said.
For Iveson and Olanyk, part of the beauty will be in the themes of community.
“We are working to create, at the end of the parade, caroling that will hopefully get the crowd involved,” Olanyk said. The Parade of Lights will start at 5 p.m.
“The grand finale is supposed to be, depending on water and the weather, there are going to be boats in the river that (will be) all lit up,” she added. The lighted boat parade will start at 5:45 p.m.
A few older traditions, like the treasure chest, have been resurrected from their dormant state and updated for this year’s Moonlight Magic, said Lynn Bernande, a local volunteer, who has worked with Holly Sonntag-Ramirez, owner of Blue Rock Restaurant and Bar.
Sonntag-Ramirez said that this year’s holiday chest will act like a scavenger hunt. Attendees can pick up brochures at the Greenfield Cooperative Bank, which have 10 questions that can be answered by visiting 10 different locales (no purchase necessary). Armed with answers, attendees can pick out a key to try to open the holiday chest, which is filled with presents, Sonntag-Ramirez said, adding that if a key doesn’t work, there are consolation treats.
New locations will provide a glimpse into art. Fifteen of The Mill’s artisans will move their mediums — like paintings, sculptures, glass blowing and furniture making — to a gallery space, which will be open from 2 to 9 p.m., said Pat Moriarty, of Conway Chair Company. He added that the parking lot next to the building should be open and luminaria will lead from the building to the village.
“Rather than an open studio, (it’ll be) a pop-up gallery,” Moriarty said. “All of us as artists are passionate about our work and we want people to see … the effort and talent we put into it.”
“The town has been so good to me, I like the idea of participating and doing my part,” said Shelburne Falls resident Ann McCormack, on why she volunteered Water Street Barn and Studio as a locale to warm up and listen to music this year.
McCormack asked artists who have played at the space, which she opened a year ago, to play 20-minute sets — just enough time to come inside, warm up and have a snack, she said.
To her amazement, artists agreed.
“So many people wrote back and (said), ‘I’m in!’” McCormack said, adding that she had to turn some artists away.
Although the Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association did not have funding for a full-time Moonlight Magic organizer this year, it has organized a community fund drive for decorations, said Whit Stanford, secretary of the GSFABA board.
The donations, totaling around $2,500, have funded designs that have been put up around town by a group of volunteers, with eager resident Nick Doneilo at the forefront, Stanford said.
Banners, garlands, lights and a few evergreen trees will greet Moonlight Magic attendees, as scores of business owners and volunteers will see their labor of love come to fruition, from 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday night. For more information, visit bit.ly/2QUEMG2.
Reach Maureen O’Reilly at moreilly@recorder.com or at 413-772-0261, ext. 280.