Pioneer Square Lighting Ceremony Friday

WORLAND — This Friday Pioneer Square in Worland will be lit up for the fourth straight year with a ceremony and celebration set to be bigger than ever.

The Pioneer Square Lighting Ceremony is sponsored by Range and the City of Worland. Last year, due to the COVID pandemic and with many restrictions still in place, the actual ceremony was cancelled but the park was still lit up.

“Last year was kind of anticlimactic. People still came out to watch the lights come on, but it was not the same,” Linda Weeks, Range regional marketing and sales director, said.

“We have a whole lot more planned this year,” she added.

The ceremony will run from 5 to 7 p.m. at Pioneer Square with the lights on the trees and light poles set to come on about 5:30 p.m. just prior to the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. Children will be able to get photos with Santa and share their Christmas lists with the Jolly Old Elf.

Weeks said roaming around the park this year will be Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch.

Range will be providing hot chocolate and cookies from Aspire Coffee Roasters of Greybull. Hot coffee specialty drinks will be available for purchase.

There will also be a Mexican food vendor, Jennica Bernal.

A fire pit, which was new in 2019, will return with Range and the city providing free s’mores kits.

Big Horn Radio Network will provide holiday music

Weeks said last week that most of the trees and poles had been adopted to decorate and Range would ensure all the trees were decorated prior to Friday night.

“The whole park will be decorated,” she said. “It will be a fun event for families to come see the lights. It’s all generally free. People can walk through the lights and enjoy the start of the Christmas season.”

Range will provide a prize for the best decorated tree with Weeks, Range CEO Becky Dooley and Worland Public Works Superintendent Nick Kruger judging the efforts.

The winner received $500 cash or 1-year free premium broadband.

The park will stay lit up through the middle of January.