WETHERSFIELD - Kris Pace had a vision to bring the typically quiet Main Street intersection at Church Street to life in the spirit of the holiday season.

       â€�"It’s always a dream I’ve had,” said Pace, a Main Street resident.

       Six years ago, she did just that, and more so than she probably expected. The first annual Holidays on Main was held at the Keeney Cultural Center. Around 1,500 people showed up.

       â€�"We did not shut down the road,” Pace remembers fondly. â€�"After that, we saw the need.”

       This year, she juggled the tasks associated with the tree lighting, just a half an hour or so before the scheduled event, while recounting the holiday event’s ascent into community prominence. Thursday, Dec. 3, the Chamber of Commerce, of which Pace is a member, and the Town of Wethersfield co-sponsors expected between 4,000 and 5,000 people, as they have typically drawn in previous years.

       â€�"We’ll get a really good crowd,” says Youth and Social Services Director Kathy Bagley. â€�"It’s a really nice town event. A lot of families come out.”

       And yes, the street was closed off about a block from the intersection and for good reason. By the time the tree lighting is about to begin, Main Street is packed with people.

       â€�"Look at this,” said Mayor Paul Montinieri, who delivered a brief statement prior to the tree lighting. â€�"The Town of Wethersfield was named the best town in Connecticut by The Hartford Business Journal. This is why.”

       The tree lighting might be the main event but, as any attendee will tell you, the arrival of Santa Claus is the draw.

       That’s why Ashley and Jordan Price brought their two kids. The family used to live in Wethersfield and still comes back for the event.

       â€�"We grew up here,” Ashley said. â€�"I think that’s why we come back--there’s something about this time of year here that’s special. We want [our kids] to know it.”

       But there’s also the silent auction in the barn, horse-drawn carriage rides, the ice sculptures and the Winter Farmer’s Market. In past years, a warming station was popular, although less so this time around with temperatures in the high 40s.

       But the cold never stopped people from coming out.

       â€�"People don’t mind the cold,” Bagley said. â€�"They dress for it. They just don’t want rain or bitter cold.”