LEESBURG – While Leesburg residents didn’t get the full Candelaria experience Saturday due to the weather, they were still able to get into the Christmas spirit.
While there were candles lit outside Town Hall and the old fire station, Christina Archer, who organizes the event, said the roughly 1,300-1,500 candles that were planned to be placed along the town streets were not put out Saturday due to the weather. Instead, members of Leesburg 4-H Mighty Farmers and the local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops will light the luminaria along the streets on Saturday, Dec. 21.
However, the Christmas party was still held Saturday, Dec. 14 in the old fire station. During the party, students from Leesburg Elementary School sang Christmas carols. Santa Claus made an appearance at the beginning of the party. People were able to grab hot chocolate and desserts.

    Fiona Fisk and Maddie Glova pose with Santa during Leesburg’s Christmas party Saturday. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.
  

The Candelaria was put on in the 1990s, but the event lapsed. Archer said she restarted the event about 14 years ago because “it was so much before.”
When it was first restarted, there weren’t lot of volunteers. Now, there’s a lot of volunteers, she said. The first year of the event, it took three days to put together all of the luminarias. This year, it took an hour and a half.
“It’s pretty amazing when you think about it,” she said.
She said she thinks the event has grown over the years because people love their community.
“They’re always eager to help. All you have to do is ask,” Archer said. “We try our best to build community and make everyone feel welcome here and feel a part of this community. I think that’s really important” to help people feel part of the community as so many people seem to feel left out.