As the sun set on Dec. 8, small, glowing, star-shaped lanterns sprung to life on the trees in Wilton’s Main Street Park.

These battery-lit paper creations are the work of 30 volunteers, including many WLC eighth-grade art students. The “flash event” was a tease for an event Dec. 17.

Wilton Main Street Association volunteer Sara Spittel, who remembered the stars she had seen while visiting Peterborough last December, was the inspiration behind this event. She met with Peterborough Children and the Arts volunteers Jeannie Connolly and Terry Reeves to learn how to make the lanterns and then put together three lantern-making work sessions.

Thirty attendees from multiple generations formed the team that created the lanterns, including the eighth-grade students encouraged to attend by WLC art teacher Emily Hall.

The event – which included Santa visiting and reading “The Night Before Christmas” to children while sitting between his fireplace and the town Christmas tree – was a collaboration between the Wilton Main Street Program and its president, Alison Meltzer; Wilton Community Center; the Wilton Economic Development team; Wilton Town Hall Theatre; and Wilton businesses.

Across the street, in Wilton’s Town Hall, more members of the Wilton community greeted guests to their music-filled craft fair. At the Wild Rose Farm table, fair co-organizer Emily Hall sat with Elizabeth Brandley, an early childhood teacher at the Pine Hill at High Mowing School. They were talking to 7-year-old Lillyann Maciorowski, a student at Florence Rideout Elementary School, about connecting children like her to the natural world.

Even before the stroll opened, the first signs of Wilton’s holiday season began to appear at the new gazebo on the Riverwalk and in Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library. Fire Department volunteers hung seasonal banners from the six poles along the river, while volunteers from Wilton’s Economic Development Team decorated the gazebo with wreaths and lights.

The library’s rotunda has been used by various groups over the years for art exhibits, including miniature Christmas trees created by Wilton businesses and WLC students. A single tree stood as a greeter to those who entered the rotunda, prepared by the Wilton-Lyndeborough Women’s Club. On it are the requests to Santa that Wilton citizens will help fill.

One tree, created by Trish’s Hair Studio, was dedicated to Elmer Santerre, Wilton’s barber who worked out of his Main Street shop for 64 years before retiring a year ago and died Nov. 17. It features barber-pole decorations, barbering equipment and even a photo of Elmer at the top.

Another tree was the Wilton House of Pizza’s tree with pizza-slice and pizza-box decorations.

The tree created by WLC’s eighth-graders contained a message that their theme was “socially engaged art.” Each student created a book ornament depicting books that inspired them or brought them comfort through their stories.

Each Tuesday afternoon since Thanksgiving, the library has been hosting a drop-in holiday crafts event. Participants make different festive gifts for giving each week. On Dec. 14, the library’s Facebook page will stream a “Polar Express” and holiday singalong that may also include a special surprise guest.

Story Circle, on the library’s Facebook page each Thursday, focuses on learning about holidays through stories, songs and crafts.

On Dec. 17, Dennis Markaverich, who has run the Town Hall Theatre for 50 years, holds his annual showings of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” As people leave, they will be greeted by luminaria bags set up in the park by WMSA and Wilton Community Center volunteers, and star lanterns will adorn branches.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” said Spittel as the lanterns were first lit. “And this is just the beginning. We’re going to do it again next year and do it even better!”