Courtesy of: The Morning News
By: Rosalie Klein
SAN NICOLAS — One of Aruba’s most beloved holiday traditions, the Seroe Preto City of Lights, went dark on Monday evening. The festive event, attended by hundreds, officially signals the end of the holiday mood for many, and heralds in the carnival season.
A volunteer effort by the Youth Union of Seroe Preto, the stunning lighting display features a different theme each year. The lights go on in mid-December, and admission to walk through this fantasy world and take pictures is free.
On weekends, local bands will perform, bringing out families and neighbors to share the festive ambiance. The final night of the Seroe Preto light display is Epiphany, or Three King’s Day, January 6. which is the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Greek Orthodox celebrate the baptism of Jesus on Epiphany and consider the day to be more important than Christmas. Though it is an official public holiday in the U.S., it is not on Aruba. However, gathering at Seroe Preto to greet friends and wish them well throughout the year, is a beloved tradition on this day. As the evening work on towards midnight, the entire community filled the street of the City of Lights.
This year, TST Band provided the entertainment. As the evening progressed and midnight approached, the music segued from favorite Christmas songs to Carnival favorites, and all welcomed the upcoming season of revelry and pageantry.
