Fifty-two Remembrance Trees were lit by the Town of Colton on Friday, December 7. The trees will remain illuminated through the end of January to help brighten winter nights during the town’s Winterest which kicks off January 11 and ends January 27.  The trees are sponsored by individuals, families, and groups to honor loved ones.

This is the fifth year of the Remembrance Trees project. The project is a collaboration of the town’s Tourism & Beautification Committee and the Colton Historical Society. Once again the committee worked with Adirondack Growers to acquire and set up the trees for sponsors to decorate. After the tree lightings on December 7 the Colton Town Hall was filled with people attending the reception hosted by the Colton Historical Society to hear the reading of names of those being remembered.

Each tree is tagged, identifying sponsors and loved ones. The complete list is available on the town website. Two trees this year, one in Three Falls Park and one along Main Street, are sponsored in memory of Ike Cook who served since 2014 as the Town Engineer until his accidental death in South Colton last September.

In conjunction with the Remembrance Trees the town’s tree also was lighted on Main Street. And once again the town enlisted the help of Chris Shea who donated his time and equipment to put lights on the large pine tree next to the Town Hall which serves as the town’s tree.

With the winter solstice just days away planning for the town’s Winterfest in January is well underway. By the end of December Winterfest posters highlighting the new three weekend approach will be displayed around the town of Colton and in nearby places. The poster includes a QR code for people with smartphones to read the detailed schedule that is posted on the town’s website, providing contacts for each event.

The schedule is also available as a pdf on the Winterfest website or can be picked up in the Town Hall.

Grace Hawley, who chairs the town’s festival committee, also can be called (315) 262-2439 about festival events leading up to, during, and after Winterfest.

Photo of Connie Hatch-Young and a Remembrance Tree provided.