Photo courtesy of The Record Journal
With Covid-19 cases on the rise in Connecticut, the holidays have never looked so different for businesses and citizens alike. Long periods of social isolation have left many searching for a spark of joy and normalcy during this holiday season. While previous holiday-themed events involved dazzling displays with large crowds, the ongoing pandemic has forced most businesses to either shut down or implement strict safety restrictions.
The Fantasy of Lights show at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven is an annual fundraiser held by Goodwill that is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year. In the past, the popular holiday tradition has attracted thousands of visitors state-wide, offering spectacular light displays and holiday-themed character exhibits. Given the reality of the pandemic, the organization has found an innovative way to follow proper social distancing guidelines by requiring all visitors to view the event from the comfort of their own vehicle. This way, not only does everyone still receive the opportunity to view the show in-person, but the organization also does not have to worry about health violations. Special Events Manager Ms. Nancy Shapiro said, “The staff works closely together, but they’re outside — it’s definitely safer, and they all wear masks. We also have volunteers that work with us, and we take their temperature and ask the typical [symptom screening] questions to the employees.”
Though the features and lights of this year’s show echo previous ones, Ms. Shapiro said, “It’s a very different year because so many people are looking for things to do with their families and this is definitely Covid safe. We are finding that we are extremely busy this year, more so than ever. The audience attendance is 86% better than last year.” This success wasn’t guaranteed. According to Ms. Shapiro, the event required approximately six weeks of preparation stretching back to mid-October.
Another ongoing holiday-themed event is the annual Nutcracker Suite & Spicy Dance, a unique and entertaining twist on the classic Nutcracker ballet. “I started the show because I wanted to create a Nutcracker that followed the story of the traditional ballet but updated for a modern world with a more modern aesthetic — something that definitely responded to social issues and diversity,” said founder, director, and choreographer Ms. Carolyn Paine, who began the production in 2009 “It fuses all sorts of dances, from ballet to modern to contemporary to jazz to hip-hop to ballroom to acrobatics.”
Normally held at the Wadsworth Museum of Art in Hartford, the show has adjusted to the pandemic by going entirely virtual. When asked about the format of the show, Ms. Paine said, “We are presenting an HD, edited video from last year’s show. It’s neat because you get up-close shots and shots from the wings, so it gives you a completely different perspective. You really feel like you get to watch the show very close and personal.” Ms. Paine began working with a team from Wadsworth back in the summer to ensure that the video would encapsulate the magic and holiday spirit of the show.
Not only does the new virtual program allow people worldwide to view the show, but the video is being offered free of cost to the public, providing the opportunity for those who may have previously been unable to pay the fee to experience the once-in-a-lifetime performance. “It gets to reach a whole new audience this way, so that’s definitely a silver lining,” said Ms. Paine.
However, the transition to a virtual event has been an unfortunate loss for many dancers who have performed in the show year after year. Ms. Paine said, “The emotion of the pandemic, I think, has really hit a lot of the dancers, including myself. We all call it our home for the holidays.” While overcoming the challenges of the pandemic has been a struggle for many businesses, most have been successful in making the necessary adjustments for their holiday events.
