Light Up Norwin || Downtown Irwin, PA || 2023

We’re going to file this under: “Things I’m EXTRA Thankful For This Year”.

There’s no way to explain the dilemma and heartbreak that is being a parent and having to make tough decisions due to your kids being sick – especially when it surrounds an event that takes place only once a year.
Our kids might only be 8 and 4 years old, but we’ve had to make lots of really hard decisions to stay home from family gatherings, holiday affairs, and special events.
And last year, that “special event” was the Light Up Norwin Parade in Downtown Irwin.

We attend Light Up Night every year (even though it’s one of Derrick’s least favorite traditions – he’s a good sport and plays along though). After all: it is the OFFICIAL start of the holiday season.
And last year, we had to miss it because Braelynn and Leander were sick. It literally broke my heart to stay home, but it was the best decision for them (and everyone they would have spread their germs to).

Needless to say: we’ve been looking forward to the 2023 Light Up Night Parade for 365 days and tonight was the night.

And what a spectacular night it was!
Tonight was likely one of the BIGGEST Light Up Night’s Norwin has ever hosted. I honestly think every single soul in Westmoreland County was present along Main Street in Irwin. The crowds were thick and packed in like sardines! Normally, we try to stand up closer to the Christmas Tree and the start of the parade route, but we ended up toward the end of the route – in front of White Tree Cafe and Coffeehouse instead (which was totally fine – we love White Tree!)

Before the parade started, I tried to walk up Main Street to get a few photos of the storefronts all decked out for Christmas and to see the Christmas Tree – but I only made it about half-way. The crowds were just insane and I literally could not even walk!
It’s always so exciting to see our little community come together for such a spectacular event! (And the temps in the upper 50’s sure helped too!)
I literally only remember one other year that it was so packed – and that was back in 2016!

If you’d like a trip down memory lane, here are the posts I’ve written about Light Up Night 2021, Light Up Night 2020, and Light Up Night 2016 (why I didn’t write blog posts the other years is beyond me?)

It’s now officially the holidays! Merry Christmas!