On Friday, Nov. 25 Dover Area High School held our very own Christmas Festival in the square. Members of National Honor Society (NHS) were there to help set it up and run the event. Advisors Matt Spahr and Curtis Poorman had been working on this since last spring, after being approached by the Dover Borough Mayor. 

Spahr said, “We were approached by the Dover Boro Mayor to take over hosting the traditional Tree Lighting Event.  We decided to add activities and performances to make it more than just a tree lighting.” After adding in activities, performances, and food trucks, it turned into a Christmas festival. 

Junior NHS member Megan Yiengst attended not only as an NHS member but also as a member of Project Harmony. She said,“There was a pretty good turn out, especially with it being the first.”  

Spahr said that they received positive feedback, even if they underestimated the wind. “The only thing I wish we had anticipated was the excessive wind gusts which caused some issues with decorations and supplies blowing across the parking lot at times.” The wind got up to around 13.9 miles per hour. “No event is ever perfect, but the feedback we received was encouraging for the future,” he said.

Perhaps there is a possibility that they will do this again in the future. Yiengst believes that they might be able to do it every year. “Now that we have done it once, we can make it better for the future.”