Community celebrates winter at The Arboretum at Penn State

An enchanting display of holiday spirit enveloped the grounds of The Arboretum at Penn State Friday night, as hundreds of community members streamed in and out of what felt like State College’s own Central Park.

A night for the community it was, as the line for free hot chocolate stretched around the sidewalks hugging The Arboretum.

It was The Arboretum’s second annual Winter Celebration.

Chilly, it was not, as temperatures and Mother Nature cooperated, delivering a comfortable evening for attendees. At 5:30, temperatures were still in the mid 50s.

Behind the hot chocolate stand was the display of an enormous wreath, composed of red berries and beige hydrangea.

Children, parents and grandparents all greeted and smiled at one another while listening to the sounds of the Penn State Glee Club.

They sang numerous Christmas carols along with a few notable ballads, including Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me.”

“Last year, we had about 500-600 people in attendance. With some extra marketing made possible by local tourism grants, I am hoping for close to 1,500 this year,” said Kate Reeder, the event coordinator.

“Christmas trees were decorated with bright lights and hand-crafted ornaments made by children at local preschool and elementary schools,” according to a Penn State press release.

This story was originally published December 11, 2015 at 10:06 PM with the headline "Community celebrates winter at The Arboretum at Penn State."