Annual Christmas Tree Burning tradition continues in Bartow
BARTOW, Fla. - There's no ball drop, nor a countdown, but in one city in Polk County, the new year is welcomed by torching old pine trees.
It's the Annual New Year's Christmas Tree Burning in the city of Bartow that dates back to 1936. It signifies the official end of the Christmas season.
Three Bartowans are the team who make the event happen year after year at Mary Holland Park.
READ: Do's and don'ts of disposing of holiday trash
S.L. Frisbie, 82, is the voice of the event who presents highlights from years past. He inherited the "narrator" job from his father, who was the previous narrator.
"One year he was sick, and he asked me to fill in for him, and I said, ‘Sure Dad.’ I could see the handwriting on the wall. The next year he said, 'son, you did such a good job last year, why don't you take over now?'" said Frisbie.
Eda Marchman is the event manager, but she's also described as the "heartbeat" of the operation.
"It's exciting when the fireman walks out there in his fire suit and the fire goes up in a whoosh and the kids all go 'Oooh!' and they run around the tree," said Marchman. "That's what I do it for."
Lastly, there's Lloyd Harris, who's the unofficial historian. He explained the tradition started as a safety measure back in 1936 by Nye Jordan, a city commissioner and volunteer fireman, who knew the dangers of a dry Christmas tree.
"Most of the homes back then were made out of wood, and he created a little story that was bad luck to keep a Christmas tree in your home after Christmas and that prompted local people back in the day to donate their tree to this event," said Harris.
The Christmas trees are all piled at the bottom of this 40-foot pole in the park to form one large Christmas tree. The fire department sets it on fire as spectators sit and watch.
The team would like to see this real, unique tradition carried on.
"We're the one city that maintains this tradition after so many years. Traditions are important. It's the handing off the torch to new generations if you will," said Harris.
READ: How Bay Area residents can dispose of their Christmas trees after the holidays
"It's something that my children and grandchildren enjoy, and I hope that several more generations of Frisbies will get a kick out of it," said Frisbie.
The tree burning starts at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31 at Mary Holland Park. If people want to contribute a tree, they can schedule a pickup by calling the Parks and Recreation Office at 863-534-0120.