Somerton Lights Centennial Park Tree, Brings Community Together

Somerton’s annual Centennial Park tree lighting returned on December 3, 2025 with a family oriented evening designed to be accessible and community focused. The free event culminated in a countdown to the tree lighting and included appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus, live music and stage performances, a gingerbread house contest, vendor booths, games, and community raffles. Parks and Recreation staff led two weeks of setup and decorations, underscoring the municipal investment in public programming.

Organizers emphasized that the event was intended to showcase local talent and local small businesses. Vendor booths featured merchants from Somerton and neighboring Yuma County, providing seasonal sales opportunities and direct exposure to residents in town for the festivities. With free admission, the event lowered economic barriers to participation while generating foot traffic that can translate to short term sales for vendors and longer term relationships between customers and local merchants.

The event also functions as a public goods investment. Parks and Recreation labor and logistical coordination created a temporary increase in municipal service delivery, from lighting and staging to crowd management and sanitation. Key local officials and staff praised the teamwork involved in staging the celebration and noted its role in bringing neighbors together during the holidays. Community raffles and contest entry fees can help underwrite future programming while reinforcing civic participation.

From an economic perspective smaller scale municipal events like the Centennial Park lighting play multiple roles. They provide direct income opportunities for local vendors, increase visibility for performing artists, and catalyze informal spending in nearby businesses. They also serve as a soft infrastructure for social capital that can reduce longer term social costs and support local resilience.

As Somerton moves through the holiday season, the tree lighting illustrates how modest public investments in programming create both social value and economic activity for Yuma County residents. Continued support for parks and community events will shape downtown foot traffic patterns and the seasonal viability of small businesses in the months ahead.