Tree-lighting Spectacular receives some mixed reviews

IRVINGTON, NJ — Although Mayor Tony Vauss and the other organizers of the annual Tree-lighting Spectacular in Civic Square on Wednesday, Dec. 6, had nothing but praise for the event, some in attendance had more mixed reviews.

“It was fun because it had a lot music and food and it had gifts,” said Terion Robinson, 11, a fourth-grader at Mount Vernon Avenue School, on Wednesday, Dec. 6. “I give it a 10 out of 10, because I got a football from Santa. It was great.”

His sister Zaniyah Robinson, 8, also attends Mt. Vernon Avenue School. She also enjoyed the annual Tree-lighting Spectacular, saying, “I got this game from inside the building that we were just in and it was a good thing. … I’m glad I came because, if I didn’t come, I would have had to wait all the way until Dec. 25, until Christmas, to get gifts. And I wanted to take a picture with Santa and stuff.”

The children’s mother, Ashley Jordan, was also there with her 6-year-old son Nahsir. She was glad her children had a good time at their first Tree-lighting Spectacular, but said it wasn’t as enjoyable for her as for them.

“This is new for us, because we’re from South Jersey,” said Jordan on Wednesday, Dec. 6. “We just moved out here and this is our first time here and it was quite an experience. I mean, anything for my kids. We’re out here and it was a good thing the mayor put together. They were able to take pictures, they were able to get toys.

“I think it’s very good for the community and, hopefully, they get a better system, so that it will be safer for the community, because it was like a stampede out here tonight. My baby was one that got hurt and I wasn’t too happy about that, so I don’t know if I’m going to be back until they get a better system. But, for the most part, they got smiles on their faces and that’s all I wanted.”

Jordan said she had recently moved her family from South Jersey to Irvington and, although she has experienced similar holiday events in the past, they were nothing like in Irvington. She said that’s a good thing, but there was a downside, too.

“Actually, they do stuff like this, but it’s not as extensive as this was,” she said. “They do have the fire truck, with Santa Claus. What happens is Santa Claus rides around different neighborhoods out there. He comes to the people. He’ll do the horn for the community, to let them know he’s outside. Everybody’s looking out the window, coming outside, seeing the lights. They give out candy canes, but they were never able to actually take pictures, so this was something new for them. And they don’t give toys out there either, so this was new.”

Jordan’s aunt was with her at the Tree-lighting Spectacular, and said she liked the fact that the event featured real-life television characters from the PBS children’s show “Sesame Street,” in addition to Santa Claus and a reindeer.

“Rudolph was there, Elmo was there and Cookie Monster was there,” she said Wednesday, Dec. 6. “I’m the aunt and the great aunt. Safety-wise, they need to do a little better, because you got adults pushing kids down, like they were getting toys when there was obviously more than enough to go around. This was my first and my last tree-lighting.”

Ashley Jordan rated her first Irvington Tree-lighting Spectacular as mostly positive and gave Vauss and everyone involved with it an A for effort while noting what she perceived as a lack of security by organizers.

“It was for a good cause. As far as the organization, they need to do something better, because it was really unsafe for a lot of people. This is the type of atmosphere that can cause a lot of fights, even at the police station,” said Ashley Jordan. “Everybody want to be first, some children too small to see. … As far as that, it wasn’t a good experience. But I think Mayor Tony (Vauss), he did a good job.”

  Holiday Tree-Lighting Spectacular