Union County Business & Professional Association held the Emily Link Gazebo Lighting in Wilson Park on December 5, 2025, to launch the Christmas holiday celebrations. Carols, cookies, and cocoa drew a crowd to participate in the festivities. Children of all ages enjoyed the cookies, popcorn, hot chocolate, water and candy, as well as Christmas coloring sheets and books. Especially delightful were the cream-filled chocolate chip cookies and brownies. UCBPA members FirstBank, A&B Bookkeeping, Tindell’s Farmhouse Bakery, Tammie Hill Realty Executives Associates and Clean Spark provided all of the refreshments, treats and activities. The VFW left their tent in place to provide shelter from the drizzly rain that cleared early in the festivities. Santa Claus greeted the participants and distributed candy canes.

Irwin’s Chapel Trio performed a medley of Christmas songs to recorded instrumental music in the background. The Luttrell Elementary chorus under the direction of music teacher Jennifer Fields wowed the crowd by singing a cappella and performing choreographed motions. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders clad in royal blue shirts, red Santa hats and red scarves with white snowballs at each end rocked, swayed, clapped, danced and rang bells to a variety of traditional carols from Jingle Bells to Silent Night. The chorus sang Silent Night with real candles glowing. At the conclusion of performing We Wish You a Merry Christmas, the boys and girls led the crowd in counting down from 10 to Lite the Nite with the shimmering Christmas lights that encapsulated the columns and the edge of the elf’s hat roof on the Emily Link Gazebo. Like magic, Emily's dream of a lighted gazebo in Wilson Park at Christmas to kick off the holiday spirit of giving and celebrating Christ's birth was realized.

The UCBPA gives a hardy thank you to Bill Collins, Union County Maintenance Supervisor, for his help to make sure the lights worked. Also a big thank you to Martin Shafer, Drew Shafer and Jon Toppins for installing the lights. Finally, thank you to all who participated in the celebration that is destined to become an annual event that grows each year.