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s e r v i n g tay l or , ol D f or g e , moosic & surrounDing areas triborobanner.com | Dec. 1, 2016
A WWII veteran received honors — and a high school diploma. |Page 3
Chicago Bears tight end Michael Cobb visited Old Forge |Page 5
Riverside students are up-and-coming baristas in training |Page 7
Bring On the SeaSOn Old Forge event continues to grow
by Josh McAuliffe
special to the Triboro banner Downtown Old Forge will closely resemble a Norman Rockwell painting this weekend as it comes to life with the spirit of the holiday season. On Sunday, Dec. 4, the borough will celebrate the third annual Snow Forge, a free Christmas-themed event organized by a dedicated group of community volunteers. The festivities begin at 2 p.m. and culminate at 6 p.m. with the lighting of the Old Forge Christmas tree on the borough building lawn, which will then be followed by fireworks. The growing event will feature a number of family-friendly attractions along Main Street, including: trolley rides with Mrs. Claus; pictures with Santa Claus; more than 50 vendors at the holiday craft fair; arts and crafts and free hot chocolate at the Kid Zone; and horse-drawn wagon rides. There will be several new additions, including an ice carver, a brass band strolling through town and a group of professional Christmas carolers from New Jersey, according to Old Forge Mayor Bob Mulkerin, one of the founders and committee members of Snow Forge. “Every year, we try to tweak and add to it,” Mulkerin said. “There’s so many ideas
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we have. It just grows bigger and bigger every year.” The Snow Forge committee got Old Forge businesses involved in the fun with its Festival of Trees. The committee passed out free Christmas trees to borough businesses that made donations to the event. Those businesses then decorate the trees and place them outside their buildings for the duration of the Christmas season. “Some of the places that decorate them are so creative,” said Mulkerin, noting the committee gave out about 80 trees this year. As it happens, Snow Forge was inspired by the trips Mulkerin, his wife and their kids took to Jim Thorpe to see the quaint and picturesque town decked out in its full holiday splendor. From there, other families began joining the Mulkerins on their treks. “We went for a few years in a row,” Mulkerin said. “Then we thought, ‘Why do we have to drive 45 minutes for this? Why can’t we do something like this in Old Forge?’” When Mulkerin was elected mayor, he decided to do just that, bringing together those families and other friends to plan the inaugural Snow Forge. At the end of that first one, people kept thanking Mulkerin and the other planners for starting such a lovely tradition. Planning for Snow Forge is essentially a yearlong process. Much of that planning goes into the committee’s annual Christmas in July fundraiser. Through the money raised there, and through the generosity of borough businesses, the committee raises
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Vincenzo Mannina of Old Forge confers with Santa at a previous Snow Forge.
PHOTO BY JASON FARMER / COURTESY OF THE TIMES-TRIBUNE
enough to pay for Snow Forge’s attractions and you get to see a lot of people you without having to charge an admission fee, haven’t seen in a while. It’s just a good community event.” according to Mulkerin. “That’s a testament to the committee. They’re the most creative group,” Mulkerin said. “And without that support from What: Third annual Snow Forge the community and the businesses, we Where: Downtown Old Forge wouldn’t be able to make it a free event.” When: Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 to 6 p.m. Mulkerin expects Snow Forge to Details: Admission to Snow Forge is continue growing and thriving for many free. For more information, visit the Christmas seasons to come. event’s Facebook page, email “It’s just a really nice, good day,” he SnowForgePA@gmail.com or call said. “The atmosphere in town is great, 570-840-0047.
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