ELLICOTTVILLE – Each year as a part of Christmas in Ellicottville, the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce lights up the village with holiday lighting on the streetside trees.
“The project, which began in 2016, has been supported by many donations and from the Chamber’s operating budget, and I thought it might be a good time to provide some interesting facts,” said Brian McFadden, Executive Director of the Chamber. “Since 2016, we have installed just under 30,000 feet of lights – new and replacements, which altogether equals 57,000 light bulbs! The average annual cost, with labor, over the 8 years since we started is $4,500. I must say that in the early years, we did a lot of experimenting with various types of lights and installation methods and we now have a solid plan in place.”
McFadden expressed many thanks to the Chamber Board of Directors and sponsors for their amazing dedication to this project. “It’s one of our favorites!”
Appreciation is also directed to Eric Dudek, who has spent hundreds of hours over the years installing the holiday lights. “You’ve probably seen him out there in the rain, snow or shine, all hours of the day,” said McFadden. “Thank you for a great job, Eric!”
As of last year, the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce also took on the additional responsibility of the Ski Tree, providing regular maintenance and care. “It’s all part of keeping with the spirit of Ellicottville,” said McFadden. “We’re all doing our part, and we appreciate all the help we receive to keep Ellicottville joyful, especially during the holiday season.”