Holiday Season
The lights go on November 8th 2025!
Can you help us make Hartford
sparkle for the Holidays?
All donations big and small help make this display wonderful. Donors will belong to our "Santa Club" earning special recognition for their contributions in the following categories:
Santa Club Tiers
Santa's Helpers: $ 10 - $49 (or volunteer - see below)
Elves: $ 50 - $249
Silver Ornaments: $ 250 - $999
Gold Ornaments: $1000 - $1999
Shining Stars: $2000 - $2999
Angels: $3000+
We will honor donors of over $500 on a large sign at each of the 3 entrances to the area. Everyone else will be included on our website Santa Club.
Last date to donate and have names on signs is October 24th 2025 as display is lit for the Christmas Parade November 8th 2025.
Volunteer as a Santa's Helper
It's a WRAP!!
Volunteers have completed wrapping the trees with lights.
VBH Volunteers were on site ready with lights for people to put on a tree. Together have created a quaint display that can be enjoyed with a lovely stroll around along the Riverwalk, around the millpond, and past Centennial Park.
We work with Rocket Lighting to light focal trees that require special touches and their lift to reach high in the branches. They complete all the electrical hookups and take down the entire display in January.
Thanks to all the volunteers who donated time to help with the 2025 display!
Memory Tree Lantern
Thank you to everyone who has sponsored a lantern this season!
The Memory Tree is created by members of the community who sponsor a lit lantern for $100 in memory of a loved one. The lanterns are included in a large beautiful display in our Memory Tree behind the library during Nov.8th - Jan.4th. We will have a sign below the tree with the names of all those being remembered. All proceeds help us fund the Riverwalk Lights project.
Downtown Decorations
Our volunteers transform our downtown for the holidays. We collect greens and other natural materials and decorate our urns for winter interest.
In 2021,VBH purchased lit wreaths and garlands for the lamp posts in the downtown area.
We partner with the High School on a Saturday morning in October and students come and volunteer their time to install the garlands and other décor. The kids are just amazing!
VBH adult volunteers install the wreaths because of the extra high ladder work.
The City of Hartford Utility Dept. helps by hanging all the wreaths along busy Hwy 60. At the end of the season the Utility Dept. comes and helps VBH volunteers take down all the wreaths and garlands and we store them away.
