Holiday music and merriment

FALLS VILLAGE — On a bitterly cold evening, Saturday, Dec. 14, the Center on Main was the place to be.

The Falls Village Holiday Extravaganza, hosted by the Recreation Commission, the David M. Hunt Library and the Center on Main, had music, poetry, caroling, the lighting of the town’s tree on the Green, and a visit from Santa Claus, who arrived in a Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department fire truck decked out in lights.

Permeating the entire affair was the smell of hot chocolate and popcorn.

Rock group Midnight Buzz kicked off the festivities. The band featured Lev Sadeh on drums and vocals, Ezra Wolfe on vocals and guitar, Dutch Dekker on bass, Brook Martinez on guitar and piano, and Rachel Gall on violin for the last number.

Martinez noted it was Dutch’s debut on the electric bass guitar.

The group charged through “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Just What I Needed.”

Ann Bidou read what she called “two rather silly little poems” to general acclaim, and Ruby Cameron delivered an a capella rendition of “Silent Night.”

Pachelbel’s “Canon in D Major” was next, with Lara Mittaud on piano and Gall on violin.

Dana Dominick read e e cummings’ “Little Tree,” and John Holland was announced as the winner of the Hunt Library raffle prize of a three-string cigar box guitar made by David Reed of Sheffield.

The show wrapped with the Berkshire Resilience Brass Band. Everyone then trooped out into the cold to the Green for more singing, the lighting of the tree, and Santa’s dramatic arrival.