We all know what made this a rough year. So, if ever there was a year to air grievances at a Festivus Pole, well, this would be it.
That’s why this year’s Fairmount Festivus in Fort Worth seems to have more meaning than usual this holiday season.
The Fairmount National Historic District is again combining the Seinfeld-inspired faux celebration with its holiday lights tour from 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 12.
In past Fairmount Festivus events, people boarded a bus, sat back, and enjoyed hot cocoa while the neighborhood staged live-action scenes with its holiday light displays. Because of pandemic protocols this year, the bus won’t be running, but people can still take in the lights in their vehicles or on bikes. Children also can have pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the proper social distance.
On T-shirts for sale, organizers are subtitling the tour “It’s a Fairmount Miracle 6 feet away!”
“It’s going to be a fun event to get out with the family,” said Kelly Bowden, one of the Fairmount organizers.
Maps of participating house locations will be handed out at One Safe Place, 1110 Hemphill St. on the day of the event. In exchange, organizers are asking for a small donation, which can be monetary, or a toy donation for One Safe Place.
One Safe Place is a nonprofit crime prevention agency committed to reducing crime, especially domestic violence in Tarrant County.
It’s also a good opportunity to appreciate the Fairmount National Historic District, which was developed between 1890 and 1938. The tree-lined neighborhood is representative of the early 20th-century streetcar suburb with diverse house forms, most wood-frame bungalows.
Festivus is celebrated around an undecorated aluminum pole where family and friends can air their grievances. The 1990s TV sitcom Seinfeld introduced the holiday, which has become an annual pop-culture fixture on Dec. 23.
“We do have a Festivus pole, and that’s important,” Bowden said. “People can air their grievances.”
As for Festivus’ feats of strength, which includes wrestling the head of the household to the floor, well, that obviously violates pandemic guidelines.
In 2014, the Fairmount National Historic District, particularly residents Brandon Garrett and his wife Christa, decided to add Festivus to the community’s holiday celebration.
“We really want to take this year to thank all of those who have given to the cause in the past,” Bowden said.
She listed Cat City Grill, Near Southside Inc, Stir Crazy Baked Goods, Fixture – Kitchen and Social Lounge, Tracey Amaya Realty Group, Lori Gallagher with Burt Ladner Real Estate, Grand Cru Wine Bar, Fort Worth Focused Realty Group, Kent & Co. Wines, the Fairmount-Southside Historic District, and Rosen House Inn.
“There would be NO Festivus without them,” Bowden said.
