COLUSA, CA (MPG) — Families filled downtown Arbuckle on Sunday as the Revitalization Committee hosted its annual Hometown Holiday Stroll and tree lighting at Lavanche Hursh Community Park.
The event ran from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 7 and turned the park into a small holiday marketplace. About 25 vendors set up booths with handmade crafts, unique gifts and toys for shoppers who came to stroll, snack and visit with neighbors.
One booth drew steady attention with trays of freeze-dried candies and fruits. Vendor Annie Doyle said the work fits the season for her.
“I like making the freeze dried candies,” she said. “It’s fun and it’s challenging.”
Doyle’s favorite treat for the evening was a freeze dried mini mint chocolate chip ice cream bar.
“In your mind you have the texture of ice cream, and the freeze drying process changes that, it makes it unique,” she said.
She also offered dried fruits, including strawberries, lemons and raspberries, along with other flavors. For those who wanted something familiar, she stocked freeze dried Skittles and similar sweets.
“I have a hard time with apples,” she said. “They are a real challenge for me.”
The stroll also brought back the popular horse-drawn carriage rides. Families climbed aboard for a scenic trip through town, bundled up as the lights came on across Arbuckle.
“We had a great turn out and people love taking the ride in the carriage through town,” said Rebecca Cothran, co-owner of O’hara Family Farms, which provides the horse and carriage. Cothran and her husband, Patrick O’hara, offer carriage services for both the Colusa and Arbuckle events and appear in several regional holiday celebrations, including the Fab 40s Sacramento Christmas Tour.
Food trucks parked along the edge of the park and served dinner and snacks as children circled the park and vendors. The evening closed with the tree lighting ceremony and photo opportunities with Santa, giving families a chance to capture a holiday memory before heading home.