Community members gather for a group photo at the Baywood Park Tree Lighting. Photo by Dean Sullivan
The Los Osos Baywood Park Chamber of Commerce kicked off the holiday season with its first-ever Baywood Tree Lighting event on Saturday, December 7. The event was a hit with locals, drawing families from all over the area to celebrate the season in festive style. Children eagerly lined up for pictures with Santa, while others were captivated by Mrs. Claus reading “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” as they enjoyed delicious pastries from Rise and Shine Bakery. The event was truly a community effort, and its success bodes well for future holiday celebrations in the area.
The event was organized by the Los Osos / Baywood Park Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Committee, a group of volunteers who are also behind other local events such as Festival of Flavors, Oktoberfest, Light Up Los Osos and the Beary Merry Holiday Parade.
The committee was co-chaired by Alyssa Petersen and Curtis Armstrong. Other key members included community icon Jim Stanfill, Blueplate owner Mason Randall, Kiwanis President Annie Wahler, Chamber Board Administrator Dawn Rodden, and local emcee Gary J. Freiberg.
“Organizing the first-ever tree lighting in Baywood was no small feat,” Petersen said. “The committee faced several challenges, including ensuring safe street crossings, coordinating with the Los Osos Yacht Club for a bay parade, and finding a way to run electrical cords safely across the street to light the tree without creating a hazard.”
The solution? The cords were fed through an underground drainage pipe running from one side of the street to the other. When the remote-controlled car intended to pull the cords through the pipe malfunctioned, Curtis Armstrong, the general manager of Baywood Inn, took matters into his own hands. Crawling through the drainage pipe—past an intersecting sewer line, Armstrong made his way about fifty feet to the other side, where the Christmas tree awaited. Covered in grime and muck, he completed the task without anyone in the crowd realizing the lengths he went to ensure the event went off without a hitch.
“We couldn’t have done it without the support of so many people,” said Chamber Board Administrator Dawn Rodden. “A special thanks goes out to our sponsors, including Estero Bay News, The Los Osos Rexall and Pharmacy, Bay Osos Brokers and Property Management, Crizer Construction, Carstairs Energy, Mar Vista Dentistry, Debra AG Wacker, Grocery Outlet, Bear Valley Realty, Rise and Shine Bakery for providing the yummiest treats for the event, Baywood Inn for allowing us to use their space for the event and Gary Dove for providing the sound system. We also want to thank Cheryl Dove for organizing the choir, which added so much to the festive atmosphere.”
The event was made even more magical by Chad Randall’s patient portrayal of Santa Claus and Melanie WIlliam-Mahan’s enchanting reading of holiday stories as Mrs. Claus. Their efforts helped bring the spirit of the season to life for the many families who attended.
“The real stars of the evening, though, were the families who came out to celebrate,” said Rodden. “The 1st Annual Baywood Tree Lighting wouldn’t have been such a success without their participation. We look forward to making this an annual tradition!”
Petersen is in agreememnt.
“With the overwhelming success of the first event, the Chamber of Commerce is already looking forward to next year’s festivities,” Petersen said. “If the turnout and community spirit are any indication, the Baywood Tree Lighting is set to become a beloved local tradition for years to come.”
