SHELBURNE FALLS — For the 40th year, magic poured over the village streets Friday evening, illuminating the snow-filled air on a night of lights, food, music and community.
At around 5 p.m., the Parade of Lights, led by a pack of Bernese mountain dogs from the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Nashoba Valley, made its way from Conway Street and across the Iron Bridge leading to the Mountain Lodge of Masons. Lining the streets and sidewalks were smiling faces, young and old, taking photos and cheering on the marchers.
“This is probably the biggest parade we’ve ever had with Moonlight Magic,” organizer Cate Chadwick said as the parade marched by. “This is honestly much bigger than we’ve ever done before, to celebrate the 40th year. … We have so much music throughout the village. Shops are serving as venues, and then we have the theater and the bank, and there’s just so much music and joy and fun happening throughout the entire evening.”
The first Moonlight Magic was held in 1985, and while Chadwick was a kid at the time and not involved in the planning process, she previously said she has been attending the event since its inception.
In the weeks leading up to Moonlight Magic, Chadwick said she was proud that while the event has grown in size, it has stuck to its mission of supporting Shelburne Falls businesses during the slower winter months.
The parade featured numerous organizations, with appearances by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, as well as a group of decorated ponies led by Franklin County 4-H leader Ashlea Aubrey.
“This is our second time bringing the ponies, but we’ve been a 4-H club for about five years now,” Aubrey said, walking a pony donning string lights. “We wanted to bring the decorated ponies for all the kids and everybody to enjoy. … It’s all about seeing the smiles on the kids and listening to them squeal with excitement, seeing the ponies and just bringing a little bit of farm feel to the downtown area here.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by members of a Greenfield dance group who performed in the parade with a separate flash mob dance routine afterward.
“It’s a fantastic feeling. It is exhilarating,” Brina Fondi of MEGAdance said. “That’s really what keeps us coming, is that every year, people are so excited to see us. … We’re from this community, and so to be here and be a part of all this joy every year, it’s just spectacular.”
While Chadwick said the attendance count could only be determined later on the evening, she noted that the streets looked particularly packed this year. Smiling festivalgoers lined up to get a bite to eat or shop from local vendors.
Kelly Phillips, owner of Cliff’s Smokin’ Backyard Barbeque & Catering, said she has been a Moonlight Magic vendor for 15 of her business’ 20 years in operation, with the majority of customers opting for her signature loaded baked potato and 11-cheese macaroni and cheese.
“It’s going absolutely fabulous,” Phillips said. “We’re always looking forward to it. The ambiance, the music, everything is just fabulous.”
Another frequently visited table was that of Cohn & Company Real Estate, which handed out free cups of hot chocolate.
Real estate agent Cathy Roberts said that while they served roughly 1,000 cups of cocoa last year, this year, 700 cups had been handed out before the 5 p.m. parade had begun, with four hours of Moonlight Magic still to go.
“This is our third year. It started after everybody got together again after COVID,” she said. “It’s nice that we got to do something just to give back to the community a little.”
Families, after the parade, met Santa and Mrs. Claus in their workshop, located in the Mountain Lodge of Masons.
Bernardston residents Erin and Ryan Bernard attended the festival for their second time with their three children, Brady, Madison and Sydney. While Erin and Ryan both said they enjoy the night out with friends and family, the children, when asked about their favorite part of the parade, all exclaimed “Santa!”