Annual Winter Walk
Winter Walk Committee
The joy of the holiday season was on full display on Saturday, December 3, when thousands of people from Berkeley Heights and surrounding towns gathered downtown for the seventh annual Winter Walk. The rain magically gave way to mild temperatures just in time for this treasured holiday tradition.
Children of all ages strolled Springfield Avenue to enjoy a winter wonderland, which included perennial favorites such as skating on an artificial ice rink, taking a carriage ride pulled by a team of Clydesdale horses, and making holiday crafts such as making reindeer food and building a snowman. New this year was a giant gingerbread slide and an additional life-size snow globe to bounce in. Other attractions included game trucks, roaming snowflake characters, The Grinch and Olaf, an ice sculptor, The Grain & Cane and Scream food trucks, a trackless train, inflatable basketball hoops, and a football field goal challenge. Santa and Mrs. Claus roamed the street to pose for pictures with children who were happy to share their Christmas wish lists.
“Seeing the pure enjoyment on the faces of the thousands of children, teenagers, and adults who came to Winter Walk made all the advance work—and the days of nail-biting over the weather report—so worthwhile,” said Cheri Pertesis, owner of Anything Floral and one of the Winter Walk organizers. “We thank the sponsors and the Berkeley Heights Recreation Department for their ongoing support and the DPW and Police for their help the day of the event. I’ll soon turn my attention to planning next year’s event, as we are determined to make each Winter Walk better than the last!”
More than seventy Berkeley Heights businesses and organizations were on hand to provide free food and holiday experiences, such as holiday photo shoots, spin-to-win contests, and an array of giveaways and samples.
Attendees enjoyed a steady stream of entertainment held on the Fiserv Entertainment Stage. Thoro, a DJ and entertainment company, provided an emcee who introduced performances from Pure Movement Dance Center, Columbia Middle School Jazz Band,GL Vocal Ensemble, Performing Arts 5678 and Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, GL Jazz Band, GL Brass and Sax, and the Governor Livingston Highlander Band.
The event culminated with the Berkeley Heights Recreation Department’s annual tree lighting and firework show at Peppertown Park.
The Winter Walk is free to all comers due to the generosity of the Berkeley Heights business community, which uses this occasion to give back to those people who support their businesses all year long. The presenting sponsor again this year was The Park, Embassy Suites By Hilton Berkeley Heights, and Round Table Studios, all part of Connell Park. Fiserv was the Platinum sponsor. Cascade Tree Service and Nokia Bell Labs were the Gold sponsors. Forty-three additional businesses sponsored the event. To see the complete list of sponsors, go to berkeleyheightsdowntown.com.
The event is organized and managed by Cheri Pertesis of Anything Floral, Hilary Boothby, and Berkeley Heights Downtown Beautification Committee volunteers Jeanne Kingsley, Julie Lloyd, and Gail Nelson.
