Every year, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving the Hallettsville community gathers around the courthouse for the Festival of Lights. The festival consists of a play, the lighting of the courthouse and a parade featuring the surrounding town’s royalty along with local businesses and groups.
Before the lighting of the courthouse came the traditional Festival of Lights Play. The Festival of Lights Play consists of a simplified version of the story of Jesus with actors from the local churches portraying the different people in the Bible. Lots of people gather around the courthouse to watch the play in celebration of the reason for the Christmas season.
The play has multiple weeks of rehearsals before the day of the festival. Lots of time, effort and practice goes into making the play as good as it possibly can be with weekly rehearsals, animal trainers and work on the different props.
Following tradition, the courthouse was lit shortly after the end of the play. The lights came on directly at the end of the play welcoming the new season as the town welcomes the birth of the son of God. As the lights came on, a Christmas glow came across the courthouse and a very jolly spirit entered the town of Hallettsville.
After the courthouse is lit with Christmas lights, a parade of floats makes a lap around the town square as the community watches. Some of the floats include Little Miss Hallettsville, Little Mr. Hallettsville and courts from the surrounding towns. The floats consisted of smiling faces, Christmas cheer and people representing their town. Hallettsville locals also set up booths at the festival. Food trucks for the festival goers including Aguilar’s, Sweet Chic’s Hot Cocoa Bar and Sandy’s lined the streets. Other popular booths had magic shows and street games for family entertainment.
After the festival, the courthouse will stay lit through the New Year and into early January, and Christmas music will play from the speakers, spreading holiday cheer and setting the scene for the season.
