Palmerton is gearing up for another spectacular Christmas in the Park. This is the event’s third year.

Food, crafts, choirs singing and a horse-drawn wagon are all part of the activities leading up to the tree lighting at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 5. Rain date is Dec. 6.“People tell me it’s just like you see on Hallmark,” said committee member Michelle O’Neill. “It is beautiful in the snow; it’s gorgeous.”This year, there are even more trees that will be decorated and lighted.Last year, there were 68 and this year there are 75 evergreen trees — all spoken for already.O’Neill said most of the trees were donated by Beisels Tree Farm and some provided at a very low price.Schools, churches, Scout troops, families, businesses and nonprofit organizations are all among the groups that have made a donation to decorate one of the trees. The money raised from the donations goes to the Palmerton Christmas lighting fund. The money helped the town purchase new streetlight decorations last year and continues to help with the maintenance of the decorations.O’Neill said there isn’t any specific theme for the organizations to follow when decorating their 5- to 6-foot tree. It’s really up to them.“Some of them get quite creative,” she said.The committee sets up all of the Christmas trees in the park, runs the electric lines and assigns each participating group a tree. Then the groups come out to the park during the week before the lighting and decorate their tree, O’Neill said.The event will run from noon to 5:30 p.m., with the lighting at about 4:30 p.m. The trees will be relit every evening throughout the Christmas season through the second week January.In addition to the intriguing smells of food and tempting craft and artisan products, there will be music. The choirs include the children from S.S. Palmer and Lower Towamensing elementary schools, the secondary school, the Holiday Homecoming community chorus, and the Christian Action Council of Palmerton Area Churches Holiday Sing Along.The instrumentalists include the Strolling Brass Quintet and The Chimers, a handbell choir from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Palmerton.It isn’t music, food or crafts, but probably more romantic. The horse-drawn wagon rides will take visitors on a tour of the town close to the park, said O’Neill. The fee is small.And what would a Christmas event be without the big guy?“Santa will be there, too,” O’Neill said.Every child will receive a chance to win a bike or a wagon; one prize per family. George’s Plumbing and Heating in Aquashicola has donated for the bike, and Blue Ridge Auto Service and Tire in Palmerton has donated enough for a couple of wagons, O’Neill said.In addition to raising funds for the lights, the event also raises money for two community programs. There will be a collection of unwrapped toys for the Toys for Tots program.Anyone who donates a second unwrapped toy will receive a second chance for the bicycle or wagon prize, she said.The event organizers are also collecting canned food for CACPAC. The council of community churches collects the food and distributes it to local food banks, O’Neill said.There are still a few spots available for vendors.Vendors can be crafters; home party products such as Pampered Chef, Scentsy; specialty businesses such as woodworking, honey, soaps; or local organizations selling food items, bake sales, etc.If anyone would like to participate in the event, contact Marj Federanich at 610-826-5777 for more information. The deadline is Nov. 21.