Walking from my grandparents’ house to downtown Durham, each step 6-year-old me took brought me closer to what I thought was the official start of the holiday season. My sister and I were bundled in the scarves our Nana had carefully knitted to keep us warm through the night of holiday cheer. We anxiously awaited the minute we would be able to experience the holiday magic that Light Up Durham had brought us in the past. Whether it was making sand bottle art, seeing Santa, shopping, or watching the tree illuminate, each thing at Light Up Durham seemed like it was the perfect thing to do to make it feel like the holidays again.
Nine years later I’m walking down the same sidewalk with four of my younger cousins. I was greeted with the same winter bliss, lights, music, and smell of a fire burning. But there were aspects of the night that had changed, including the name of the event, stores, and crafts.
This was the first year of Light Up Durham being rebranded to “Frost Fest.” It was different not getting to experience the tree-lighting count down, see Santa ride in on a town of Durham firetruck, and not see any holiday affiliated craft like I used to. It was disorienting for me because I wanted to be able to go from craft table to craft table making gifts for each of my family members, but I could not.
Crafts were always something I looked forward to during Light Up Durham, and I didn’t care that it was now Frost Fest, as long as I got to make my sand penguin. This year the multiple craft tables I was used to seeing had turned into one cookie- making table, and a fidget selling business. “There was always some kind of kids’ craft to make sure you went home with a bunch of stuff, and it was free,” said Joan Gross, who was a frequent attendee of light up Durham. After seeing the more commercialized version of the event, I was disappointed that I couldn’t give my cousins the chance to experience the memories I had, whether it was making crafts or walking through the stores downtown.
The stores were something my sister and my Nana enjoyed exploring while my Papa and I sat on a bench outside drinking our hot chocolate. “It seemed like every store had tables out and the stores were always open during Light Up Durham,” said J. Gross. As time passed, I started to enjoy the stores more, yet at the same time, fewer businesses were open during the event. I no longer have the option now that Light Up Durham has changed to Frost Fest, because the stores are closed before the event even begins.
Frost Fest may lack open stores, but the town of Durham doesn’t lack open minds. After years of Light Up Durham with Santa and the Christmas tree as centerpieces, the question of bringing in other religions to the event was brought up. “People were saying, ‘Well, if you’re doing a Christmas tree, then why won’t you do a menorah… for me it didn’t make a whole lot of difference,” said Tracy Schroeder, a member of the Durham Parks and Rec Committee. After those arguments were brought up, all holiday associations were eliminated, and Light Up Durham was rebranded into Frost Fest.
Yet for some people, Light Up Durham was not inclusive enough. It gave specific reasons to celebrate the holidays, more specifically Christmas whereas Frost Fest is more focused on the winter season. As for Howard Gross, who is a part of the Jewish community in Durham, he doesn’t care that there was a tree, and he wouldn’t care if there was a menorah being lit up alongside it. “I don’t think the Frost Fest is more inclusive than Light Up Durham, just the whole idea of it is nonsense,” said H. Gross.
From a menorah to Santa, most people didn’t care which holiday was represented they just wanted to celebrate. As a child, when the event was still Light Up Durham, the entire night I was waiting for one thing: Santa Claus. I would sit on his lap after not-so-patiently waiting in a long line of other kids. I would then tell Santa what I wanted for Christmas, and eventually had to stop because my Nana told me I couldn’t tell him my whole list I so carefully memorized for that moment.
“Santa was more exciting [during Light Up Durham]. He used to be more of a center piece, and I don’t think him not being a center piece makes it more inclusive,” said J. Gross. Santa’s grand entrance into Light Up Durham was cut when it became Frost Fest. While you can still sit on his lap, there is no promotion of him throughout the night.
Frost Fest is still festive, just a little different. “We still do a tree, we still have some of the same activities, and Santa still comes, but he’s just not front and center,” said Schroeder. This year’s Frost Fest was on December 7th, and just as in previous years, Santa and the tree remained out of the spotlight. Though those two things were the main parts of my childhood memories around the holidays along with the stores and crafts, Frost Fest is still a good place to spend time with family and ring in the holiday season, no matter how you celebrate.
-Bella Jackman
Mouth of the River 
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