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4 | December 28, 2017 | The glencoe anchor news
glencoeanchor.com
Winter Solstice Celebration lights up Green Bay Trail
Hilary Anderson
Freelance Reporter
Ancient traditions and
rituals never go away.
They just get updated for
the times.
Such was the case with
the second annual Winter
Solstice Celebration at
Glencoe’s Shelton Park,
where about 60 people
gathered last Thursday
evening, Dec. 21, and
welcomed the return of
more sunlight and longer
days ahead. December 21
traditionally and astronomically
is considered
the shortest day and longest
night of the year in
the Northern Hemisphere.
The Friends of the
Green Bay Trail and
Glencoe Park District, cosponsors
of the event, put
a slightly different twist
on the ancient Druids observance.
Invitations went out to
the community-at-large to
bring family and friends
to celebrate the shortest
day of the year with
a parade along the Green
Bay Trail, which winds
through Glencoe, Winnetka,
Kenilworth, Wilmette
and Highland Park.
“We invited people to
decorate themselves, or a
stroller, wagon, bicycle,
even a dog with batteryoperated
lights and things
that glow,” said Betsy
Leibson, president and
founder of Friends of the
Green Bay Trail.
There were bonfires like
in ancient days.
“We had two bonfires
but ours were via fire
pits,” said Liz Visteen,
program manager of the
Glencoe Park District
special events and active
adults. “They were part
tradition and part to show
people where we were.”
Modern, battery-operated
lanterns provided more
light for the gathering.
A table with additional
light sticks and necklaces
were there for guests of all
ages.
Leibson was hard to
miss. She came decorated
with seven different kinds
of light strands.
Jason Alwin was there
with his daughters and
dog, all aglow. Lainey, 12,
and Lucy, 10, had glowsticks
plus a headpiece of
lighted antlers while Leila,
7, bore a lighted, Rudolph-like
red nose. Even
their St. Bernard, Harry,
participated.
There were also many
first-timers in attendance.
Santi McMartin and
children, Isabel and
Thomas, came this year.
“It was too cold last
year but today’s weather
was perfect for this,” Santi
McMartin said.
The way people wore
or displayed light strands
showed massive creativity.
Mitch Kiesler sewed
his battery-operated lights
onto his jacket so the light
strings would not fall off.
Larry and Evelyn Aronson
accompanied the hard-tomiss
individual.
Janet Knowles found
LED glow gloves for her
children, Calvin, 6, and
Leelo, 2, which they wore
while carrying LED balloons.
Seth Stein wore a head
lamp.
It was a first time for
Natalie Holtzman and her
children Ben, 8, and Matthew,
4.
“It is so nice for the Park
District and the Friends
of the Green Bay Trail to
do this,” Holtzman said.
Local children (left to right) Heidi Reakauf, 10, Harper Cullis, 7, and Tenan Cullis, 10, all of Glencoe, warm up by the
fire at the Winter Solstice Celebration Thursday, Dec. 21, on the Green Bay Trail. Photos by Rhonda Holcomb/22nd
Century Media
“What a great way for everybody
to get together. It
is something we never did
before.”
Melissa Wessel and her
son, Hunter, also were
first-timers.
Hunter Wessel spent
time selecting colored
light sticks for his dad,
mom and grandma May,
who was visiting from
New Orleans.
“My favorite is getting
warm by the fire,” Hunter
Wessel said.
It was time for the Winter
Solstice Celebration
Parade to begin. The group
lined up and marched up
and down the Green Bay
Trail singing songs welcoming
back the sun, one
tune written by Glencoe’s
Diane Greening. She was
there with husband Gary
Harman.
The Glencoe Park District
provided hot chocolate
for the Winter Solstice
revelers when they
returned. There also were
Eileen Monahan’s homemade
cookies.
“Wow, this was fun,”
said Bode Goldner, 7,
when he returned riding
his scooter with wheels
that lit up along with the
battery-operated light
string he was wearing. “I
want some hot chocolate
now.”
RIGHT: Glencoe’s Alwin
family (clockwise from
top) Jason, Lainey, 12,
Lucy, 10, Leila, 7, and
Harry the dog at the
celebration.