Kelseyville’s Christmas in the Country and Parade of Lights on Dec. 3 was a huge success.

There were between 2,000 and 3,000 people who came out to join Kelseyville in an old-fashioned holiday evening. The merchants opened their doors with treats, raffles and holiday cheer.

The event has passed but Kelseyville is a wonderful destination to bring family and friends for a stroll down Main street to enjoy the delightful holiday display windows.

Kelseyville townspeople came together to create a magical evening, with Marilyn Holdenried putting together a group of wonderful people including Anni Borghesani and her elves, Gerri and Bill Groody, Annette Higday, Carson, Marilyn and Myron Holdenried, Katrina Jones, Susan Martin, Sid McCloud and his elves, Doug and Nancy Rhoades, Vicky Smith, Judy Strugnell and Sharron Zoller, and many others who contributed their time and talents to delight all with their window displays that included quilts from the Lake County Quilt Trail, dancing Christmas pears, Mickey Mouse, Santa and Mrs. Claus, carolers, vintage Santas and toys and Rob Hodges generous donation of vintage toys that took us back to Christmases past.

The owners of the properties graciously allowed us to use their buildings to brighten town. Main Street looks magnificent with the old fashioned decorations on the light poles, thanks to the help of Jim Merriman and Kelseyville Lions Club and Bill Dawson for weathering the cold and rain to put them up, the garlands, wreaths and tree lights put up and Main street set up by Dave Morse, Armand Pauly, Eric Schofield, Sinda Knight, Joe Sanderson and three students from Kelseyville High School, Zackery Bailey, Juan Huerta and Cindy helped, and each and every merchant that decorated the storefronts.

A special thanks to Ernie Ostern for all the candy cane barricades that he built for the town and sets up and takes them down every year, keeping the little ones safe.

The Parade surpassed our already high expectations. Thanks to Mike Linnell and the parade helpers who arranged the parade, we had over 60 entries and each one was magnificent. We can’t thank all of the parade participants enough for the time and work to make our towns parade awesome.

There couldn’t be a parade without closing the roads and we want to thank Ed McDonald, all the California Highway Patrol volunteers, and the CHP Explorers and Officer Steve Tanguay for helping us with support, also thanks to Richard Feiro and the Lake County Honor Guard for keeping everyone safe and the Lake County Road Department for loaning us more barricades.

Many thanks to Barbara McInyre for all of her help with getting the word out to the newspapers and publications and her help with setting up Main Street.

Thanks to Kelseyville Fire Department for buying the town's first live Christmas tree. It will soon be planted and we’ll watch it grow year after year.

The Sweet Adelines sang in perfect harmony at the tree lighting and in the firehouse. David Neft, Lake County's “Piano Man,” entertained all at Westamerica Bank while the children and families waited to tell Santa their Christmas wishes.

Thanks to Santa for being there for all the kids. Dawn Smith, of Color Slash Photos, took pictures of starry eyed children with Santa. She donated all proceeds to Rob Brown's toy drive for Lake County foster kids. Her generosity and others like her are what makes Lake County a wonderful place to live.

Several local churches offered the community a place to eat, get warm and share in the holiday spirit.

Last but not least we can’t thank our sponsors enough. The major sponsors for the event were Kelseyville Pear Festival, which purchased new lit wreaths; Konocti Vista Casino, which purchased new lights for the tree and garlands on Main Street; Kelseyville Pharmacy, which sponsored Eleven Roses Ranch and the mule-drawn carriage rides; Kelseyville Lumber; Wildhurst Vineyards; Roto Rooter of Lake County; Rosa D’Oro Vineyards; Saw Shop Gallery Bistro; Polestar Computers; Kelseyville Appliance; Tom and Joan Morrell; Nestegg Investments; Bartley Pumps Inc.; and Julie Richardson.

Main Street will remain decorated through New Year's Day.

Have a joyful holiday season and Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Mary E. Morse is chair of Kelseyville Christmas in the Country.