Rhodes Less Traveled

I’ve never taken more heat for anything I’ve written than I did back in 2000, when I did an editorial critical of Festival of Chimes & Lights.

To be clear, it wasn’t intended as a criticism of the concept so much as its execution. But that didn’t keep me from looking like Port Orchard’s resident Grinch.

Chimes & Lights made a modest debut in 1999 as a way to show off the new City Hall’s carillon and draw Christmas shoppers downtown, and organizers were pleasantly surprised when thousands of people showed up.

Quick to recognize the community had a potential hit on its hands, the event was expanded in its second year to include music, hayrides, a theater troupe and other holiday fare.

The result, as I famously chronicled, was a comedy of errors that included a free-for-all each time the hayride wagon returned to the curb for another load of youngsters, the bells interrupting Mayor Jay Weatherill’s welcoming speech, the unfortunate placement of a children’s choir in a location that prevented anyone from hearing them, and much more.

I pointed out the flaws in the program not to embarrass or hurt anyone’s feelings. Rather, I simply wanted to challenge Chimes & Lights organizers to iron out the problems before they killed an otherwise promising event.

On the festival’s 10th anniversary, I should belatedly point out that they’ve done just that, and what started out shakily has evolved into a cherished holiday tradition for all of South Kitsap.

Even better, Chimes & Lights appears to be attracting visitors from surrounding communities who come to soak in the festivities and, not coincidentally, leave a little money behind.

People of my generation and older remember when a community was almost expected to host this sort of holiday celebration, and it’s a nostalgic experience for us, as well as a treat for our children and grandchildren.

There simply aren’t enough Chimes & Lights in the world these days, which explains why Port Orchard’s has become so irreplaceable in 10 short years.