This past Saturday, the Village of Olympia Fields was the focal point for the south suburbs, celebrating the holiday season with its inaugural Caroling in the Park celebration, held in Bicentennial Park.
The outdoor celebration brought out an estimated crowd of nearly 600 attendees who enjoyed fellowship, food, treats and wonderful seasonal music.
Music performances came from various student performers and groups from Saint George School (Tinley Park), Infant Jesus of Prague Catholic School (Flossmoor), Rich Township High School, Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School and Southland College Prep Charter High School.
Conceived by Trustee Howard White, the event established a cornerstone to reinvigorate the spirit of community and solidarity for the Village. With a vision in place, Trustee White and the Community Relations Committee (CRC) got to work on bringing the idea to life. The CRC partnered with the Olympia Fields Parks District to create an unforgettable experience that would start a new annual tradition for the Village.
According to Trustee White, "The most dynamic and vibrant communities have engaged residents. We want to maintain the quality of life here and elevate the Village's stature. To accomplish this, we have to find ways to bring our residents together and encourage them to take ownership in the Village's future."
Community spirit came alive for this event. CRC was pleasantly surprised by numerous residents spontaneously showing up hours before the event offering their assistance to help get the park and stage set for the event.
The event's reach stretched well beyond Olympia Fields. It attracted attendees from as far as New Lenox. They were joined by nearby neighbors from Homewood, Flossmoor, Tinley Park, Matteson and Richton Park.
This year's event included fourteen vendors with two food trucks. Several Village HOAs accepted invitations to set up "Christmas Stations" at the event, with Arcadia, The Greens, Maynegaite, The Original Village and The Trails taking active roles.
Perhaps the highlight of the night was an impromptu performance of "Give Love On Christmas Day" by the Olympia Fields Police Department, led by Officer Johnita Mitchell. To watch the video, click here!
The CRC will continue efforts to bring residents together and promote a higher quality of life for Village residents.
If you're interested in becoming a member of the CRC, please contact the Village. Click here to learn more about the Community Relations Committee.
