CARIBOU, Maine — The city of Caribou brought back the tradition of kicking off holiday festivities with a tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 6, for the first time in more than a decade.
The Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department hosted the event. Firefighter Scott Michaud said that while the tradition was dropped, they decided to “bring it back and keep it going.”
“We’re going to light the tree, and start doing a parade with Santa going to the rec center where kids will build their gingerbread houses,” he said. “So we’re coordinating this event with the rec center.”
He said the department was inspired to start the event back up because they wanted “to do something for the kids.”
As families gathered at Lyndon Square next to the city’s statue of a caribou, a Mini Winnie’s food truck offered free hot cocoa to guests.
Dustin Mancos, owner of the food truck as well as the Winnie’s restaurant in Presque Isle, said that he often donates to the fire departments in Caribou and Presque Isle, including making deliveries to them on Sept. 11.
Mancos, a Caribou native, said he recalled watching the tree lighting in Caribou as a child and was thrilled that the city was bringing it back.
Santa helps the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department plug in the Christmas tree at Lyndon Square during the city’s first tree-lighting event in over a decade. (Chris Bouchard | Aroostook Republican)
“We used to have one every year when I was growing up,” he said, “so it was such an honor to come back here.”
He said the fire department donated all of the hot chocolate to Mancos, who gave it out to guests for free.
“I was honored that they called me and asked me to do this,” he said. He was pleased to see Caribou bring back the tradition.
“Presque Isle and Limestone have light parades,” he said. “It seems like everyone but Caribou has one. So Jacob Beaupre of the fire department reached out and said they’re going to bring it back to life and light the tree in Caribou.”
Both Mancos and Michaud said they were happy with the event, adding that they hope for a higher attendance in future years.
Michaud concluded that the department plans to host the tree lighting and parade “every year from now on.”
