Croft Farm in Cherry Hill hosted its second Illuminate event on December 4, 2022. From carolers singing Jingle Bells to little kids screaming for Santa, many fun holiday aspects made the Illuminate event magical. On their stage, they had people from a synagogue telling the story of the Maccabees, performers dancing to Christmas music, and carolers singing different songs. They had a variety of booths giving out fun glowing items, people giving out coffee and selling mini wreaths, along with a cotton candy booth and a chicken & waffles food truck. Some people sat and enjoyed a nice picnic on the grass and some even brought their dogs.
Around 30 minutes into the event, Mayor Susan Shin Angulo came on the stage and asked the kids at the event to yell “Santa!” After five chants for Santa, he arrived on a truck and took photos with the children. He sat in front of the Croft Farmhouse, which was nicely lit with string lights. After that, Mayor Angulo asked everyone to yell “Illuminate!” After this, the lights turned on and everyone could see the beautiful trees gleaming. There were a variety of lights including snowflake, twinkling, string, rainbow, and red and green! These lights were hanging around the trees and vines, brightly lit for all to see. Mayor Angulo stated that there were “two new displays this year. The rainbow lights and the teardrop lights.” In comparison to last year, Angulo believed that there were more attendees at the event this year. She expressed her excitement about having many more people there and the several aspects that kept people engaged, including the boy scouts giving out hot chocolate and s’mores.
The special events coordinator, Ericha Farrington, said what she enjoyed the most about the Illuminate event was the “feeling of everyone being [there]” and she enjoyed working on the display. She believed that this year’s display was equally as successful as last year’s. Guests were most excited about seeing the lights turn on, and it did not disappoint. The farm was nicely decorated with color-changing string lights going around the rim of the stage and the house. The house had bright lights and wreaths, adding to the holiday spirit. Similarly, the barn had a glistening wreath that was visible to all. When standing in front of the house, you could have a clear view of all the alluring lights. Many guests enjoyed the rainbow lights and believed that the display just kept getting better. According to Angulo, “a lot of the performers from last year [were there] again” and she found the performances to be a nice touch to the event.
When trying to park, many officers were directing the cars so they could prevent traffic issues. There were a lot of cars both entering and exiting the event, and many looking for parking. One officer stated that there was “a steady amount of traffic.”
Walking around in 40-degree weather can sometimes be a pain, but the light display made walking around in the cold worth it. With many different attractions to visit and food options to eat, it was an enjoyable experience that got the guests into the holiday spirit!