The Moorestown Business Association will host its Main Street Candlelight Stroll on Saturday, Nov. 4, with highlights that include a Thanksgiving pie contest, horse-drawn carriage rides and seasonal music.
“I think it’s reminiscent of this time of year, this harvest time of year …” event chair Christine Dash said of the horse-drawn carriage rides. “Being able to do this right on your main street and appreciate the main street from up above, I think, is a really cool thing.
“It kind of almost reminds me of (the) holidays in New York City, where you have the horse carriage rides through Central Park, so we’re bringing a little bit of that to Main Street again this year.”
The event kicks off at 4 p.m., with the carriage rides from 5 to 7 p.m. The pie contest – sponsored by the Pie Lady Cafe in Moorestown – will be held at the cafe and feature the following categories: most nostalgic, best new twist on an old classic, most delicious and best presentation. Last year, Dash wanted to bring back the feeling of Main Street U.S.A., so she came up with the idea for the pie contest.
“Christine (McHale) from the Pie Lady is excited this year to be involved in the process as well,” Dash noted. “Everybody was so excited about that part of the event … It was so warm and fun and inviting, and it really got the residents of Moorestown really involved and participating in a contest. It was great, so we’re excited to do that again this year for sure.”
The Moorestown High School Madrigals will be at the stroll and luminaries sponsored by Moorestown Hardware will line the streets, something Dash described as “magical”.
“It’s just a magical time of year and it all comes together with the warm glow,” she gushed. “It’s just so nice to see the luminaries cast against all of our beautiful buildings here on Main Street, many of which are historic. And it really just gives such a beautiful Main Street U.S.A. glow.”
Putting everything together takes effort, and it isn’t until midway through the stroll that Dash feels the hard work has paid off.
“It’s a lot of work trying to secure certain things for certain dates, and you want everything to be perfect for the people of Moorestown, so we really do our best to make it all happen,” she said. “ … It’s a lot of stress up until the moment that everything kicks off, but it’s nice just to see how the evening really does unfold … And (for) the people of Moorestown, it’s a fun, happy time for them.
“They’re really the recipients of our hard work and it’s just really great,” Dash added. “These are memories for them, these are traditions for them that they’ve had year after year, and it’s really just so great to be able to deliver it to them once again.”
Dash promises a night of fun for all ages, and Dash is happy to be a part of it.
“It’s just such a warm feeling when you’re walking down the street seeing all these things unfold and being able to participate in the laughter and the music throughout the streets …” she observed.
“It’s just such a warm, reminiscent feeling of, ‘Hey, this is the way it’s really supposed to be.’”
For more information on the candlelight stroll, visit the Moorestown Business Association’s Facebook page.
