The City of Poplarville, in collaboration with the Poplarville Chamber of Commerce, organized its inaugural Tree Lighting ceremony over the weekend on the town green. Poplarville Police Chief Chad Dorn was entrusted with activating the holiday lights on the town’s Christmas tree.

Beau Wilkshire, a Chamber of Commerce representative, highlighted the event’s objective. He explained that the city had a modest tree with little ceremony in previous years. However, this year, we intended to create an event encouraging community participation and bringing people together.

“Normally, the city has a smaller tree without pomp and circumstance. However, we wanted to hold an event to get people out, get people together, and have people reconnect and enjoy the town and the town green,” said Wilkshire.

The Tree Lighting ceremony is part of a broader strategy to enhance community engagement, leading to other upcoming events such as the city’s parade and “Christmas on Main.” Wilkshire emphasized the event’s role in building momentum for future celebrations, aspiring to establish Poplarville as a place where families can gather and strengthen connections.

“We will use this event to build into the parade and Christmas on Main. We are trying to make Poplarville a place where families can come out and connect,” added Wilkshire.

The first Tree Lighting ceremony served as a simple yet significant step towards fostering a sense of community in Poplarville. As the city aims to position itself as a family-friendly destination, this event lays the foundation for future communal activities.