Palmerton's borough park transformed into a winter wonderland on Saturday, with over 100 trees decked out by the community for the annual Christmas in the Park celebration.

Hosted by the Palmerton Light Committee, the event saw the park filled with spectators throughout the day, strolling the walkways and admiring the beautifully decorated trees that lined them. Community organizations like Watch Me Grow, Palmerton Area High School, the American Legion, and numerous families sponsored a tree. Friends and families enjoyed hot chocolate, cider and Christmas cookies as they basked in the spirit of the season.Of particular note was the tree contributed by the Palmerton booster club's 110-pound football and cheering, which was a tribute to borough coach and legend Eugene 'Geno' Roberts Jr., who recently passed away."When you see the families go through the park, looking at the trees, discussing the trees, that is really a nice aspect of it," said Michele O'Neill, chairwoman of Christmas in the Park.Santa made an appearance at the band shell, with a hefty line of children filling the walkway to see Old St. Nick all afternoon.Music sounded from band shell throughout the day, with the Chimers of the Holy Lutheran Church, the Sweet Adelines of the Lehigh Valley Chorus, the Towamensing Elementary Chorus, and the Palmerton Jr. High School and High School choruses performing. Horse-drawn carriage rides, vendors with handcrafted wares, and Santa Jack's Band - a holiday brass ensemble - spread holiday spirit throughout the park.The Christian Action Counsel of Palmerton Area Churches hosted a spirited community caroling event that led right up to the tree lighting, with crowd members drifting into the gazebo to sing holiday tunes with Larry Arner conducting."We got a lot of people this year, it was a great turnout," CACPAC treasurer Bonnie Green said.A festive anticipation permeated the chilly air as the crowd counted down to 4:30 p.m., when all the trees burst with light. As the sky quickly dimmed and the displays became ever brighter, many attendees stuck around to admire the work of their community, celebrating a strong start to the holiday season."It's a wonderful event to attend," O'Neill said. "It's great just to stroll through the park, enjoy the quiet, and take in all the lovely trees."