christmas tree trail

The South Bethlehem Arts District has many, many events to bring people back to the south side of town. Even during the pandemic. For the Christmas season it's a Christmas tree trail. Local business were asked to put-up trees and then the citizens would vote for which was the most creative. I've wanted to go since I heard of it. But even this south Bethlehem loving girl is not stupid enough to walk the streets of South Bethlehem alone.

So I talked Lydia into coming along. She couldn't go with her husband because once he claims his parking spot after work, he doesn't leave again. Night adventures are out of the question.

Besides, her camera is better.

I picked her up in front of her house and we drove down to Arts Quest. I figured we could park for free there. 

Christkindlmarket ended early this year. They had it in October and November because it needed to be outside due to Covid restrictions. It wasn't even close to Christmas so I figured the Christmas decorations would still be up. WRONG. It was all gone. It's was the 11th of December and it was gone. We were shocked. Sure, tear down the tent and pack up the port-o-potties but leave up the Christmas decorations. Even though the pandemic has everything closed, people still walk around down there all the time.

4th and Adams, Randy's Pizza, Flying V, Antique Shop, NIMH

We parked on the street and fed the meter then headed to the Museum of Industrial History to see their tree. It was metal parts and topped with an I-Beam. A coil of steel rolled out from the base and it ended with a box.

We cut thru the NCC south side campus and headed toward the Social Still. It was then I realized I didn't have a mask on. People were eating outside. Lydia had a mask so she went and got the pic -- bourbon barrels stacked in a tree shape and decorated. Next to it, the fire ballister was decorated into a Santa Pez Dispenser.

Social Still, random store with pretty tree, Dinky's, Lit, official Southside tree, Homebase. 

Next stop was Cutters bike shop. It was ordinary. And hard to see. I went to get my mask and Lydia headed to Dinky's Ice Cream. Their tree was large, outside, ordinary but they had a train around the bottom with Yukon Cornelius (Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, 1964) and packages. Update 12/22: this was the winning tree!

 

We took a pic at Fox optical of their tree made from lights strung into a triangle from a top point. Lit, an official stop was next door. Their tree was ordinary.

We cut thru the gas station's corner onto New Street and crossed at the Greenway to the other side to see the official south side tree tree under the covered walkway. Then we headed up to Fourth, turned right went to the Homebase skate shop. There's was clever made of branches, wire and maybe skate parts. Not sure what the dangles were.

Roasted, hair salon, dress shop, cigar shop, Color Me Mine

We crossed the street, again, and headed back to Roasted for a tall skinny tree dressed in gold lamé fabric wire ribbon, and a poof on top.  

A few doors from Roasted was this window. Not part of the trail, but one of the more creative ones that we saw. I think this might be a "vintage" store.

 

At Fourth and New, we couldn't see the one at Molly's pub. The windows were covered with neon beer signs obstructing our view. They must have wanted you to come inside. Going back down the other side of New there was another skinny tree at a hair salon, and a cool white tree that had a color lights like Aunt Dorothy's old silver one under it. We crossed Third at the bridge, and headed east to Color me Mine. It was a tiny tree very high up. I was disappointed it didn't have little bisque ornaments on it. A lot of these business missed an opportunity to market their products for free.

At Fourth and Adams is a hair salon with a clever tree made of hangers. It was hard to take a pic because the logo was covering it in the window. At Webster is the Flying V and the only living tree we saw. It was hanging upside down, outside. It was great. 

 

We crossed the street again and headed up Webster to Morton to a tiny pizza shop called Randy's. Lydia said the pizza is good there. Their tree was made of pizza boxes covered in lights.

Then it was back down to Third,across the street again,  and back to the car.

Seven Sirens Brewery was also on the list but they were far off the trail. We parked and went to look at it, but it's in the middle of the dining room. We did not go in. That place is way above my pay grade. It's made from beer kegs.

Miles/Steps:  maybe a mile. Not much more with lots of stopping. I wouldn't call it exercise.
Weather:       48 and dropping