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Sullivant Avenue filled with songs, holiday spirit and love during caroling event

Bethany Bruner, The Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct West Side liaison for the city's Department of Neighborhoods' Melissa Green's name.

As the first few bars of "Winter Wonderland" came from the Chillbilly Deluxe float at the corner of Sullivant and Central avenues Friday evening, the smiles began to spread across the faces of about 100 people.

The crowd had gathered for the second ever Songs on Sullivant caroling event, started in 2019 with the goal of bringing positivity to a corner of the city that may not always see it.

Melissa Green, the West Side liaison for the city's Department of Neighborhoods, helped organize Friday night's event, as well as its first iteration in 2019. The event was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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"The West Side just has this amazing sense of community," Green said. "You might not hear about it, but it is the lived experience for people."

Terrance Farmer plays the saxophone during Songs on Sullivant caroling event on Columbus' West Side. Songs on Sullivant took place along a stretch of Sullivant Avenue -- Sullivant and Central and Hague and Sullivant avenues -- that is statistically among the worst in the city in many categories, including abandoned properties.
Terrance Farmer plays the saxophone during Songs on Sullivant caroling event on Columbus' West Side. Songs on Sullivant took place along a stretch of Sullivant Avenue -- Sullivant and Central and Hague and Sullivant avenues -- that is statistically among the worst in the city in many categories, including abandoned properties.

The harsh reality of life in Franklinton, however, remained evident Friday night even as manufactured snow floated in the air. While carolers sang "Jingle Bells" and children received gifts from Santa Claus, a poster seeking information about an unsolved homicide that took place near the intersection in October 2020 fluttered against an electric pole.

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Friday's event drew about 100 people to the corner of Sullivant and Central avenues and even more at the corner of Hague and Sullivant avenues, the second stop of the event. Both corners are along a stretch of Sullivant Avenue that is statistically among the worst in the city in many categories, including abandoned properties.

Junior Fagain, 2, holds onto a present from Santa next to his grandmother, Danielle Woodfox, during Songs on Sullivant on Friday. The event was held to bring some holiday spirit and show off the sense of community along that stretch of Columbus' West Side.
Junior Fagain, 2, holds onto a present from Santa next to his grandmother, Danielle Woodfox, during Songs on Sullivant on Friday. The event was held to bring some holiday spirit and show off the sense of community along that stretch of Columbus' West Side.

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"These corners could use a little holiday spirit and some love," Green said. "When you think about Sullivant Avenue, you don't think carols. We're hoping to create some fun, joyous memories to overshadow, maybe, some others."

Green said the hope is to make the event an annual one and to continue to evolve it in the coming years. The event also expanded to the Linden area this year, with Carols along Cleveland set to begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at 1410 Cleveland Ave.

Carlos Pacheco, 3, catches fake snow while people sing carols during Songs on Sullivant on the West Side. The event took place at two major intersections along Sullivant "to create some fun, joyous memories to overshadow, maybe, some others," said one organizer.
Carlos Pacheco, 3, catches fake snow while people sing carols during Songs on Sullivant on the West Side. The event took place at two major intersections along Sullivant "to create some fun, joyous memories to overshadow, maybe, some others," said one organizer.

For Denise Nelson, who lives on the West Side, the night provided a fun opportunity to bond with her daughter and grandchildren.

"It's something positive and it's nice to be out and around people," Nelson said. "There's so much negative out there."

One of the biggest hits of the event was a light-adorned sleigh with Santa Claus' West Side fill-in, Jay Michael Jennings, who stopped by while final Christmas preparations are underway at the North Pole.

Keonna Starks, 8, watches as Santa hands out gifts during Songs on Sullivant on the Columbus' West Side. More than 250 gifts were collected by sponsors throughout the neighborhood and distributed to children.
Keonna Starks, 8, watches as Santa hands out gifts during Songs on Sullivant on the Columbus' West Side. More than 250 gifts were collected by sponsors throughout the neighborhood and distributed to children.

"I just love giving gifts," Jennings said. "It swells my heart and gives me joy. Stuff like this give me enough joy to get through the rest of the year."

Jennings said he heard about the 2019 event through the official man in the red suit and stopped by with a sack load of presents for area kids. This year,

"I go where I'm needed," Jennings said. More than 250 gifts were collected by sponsors throughout the neighborhood and distributed to children.

Ja'Veyah Bennett Poole, 7, plays in the fake snow during the Songs on Sullivant caroling event on the West Side.
Ja'Veyah Bennett Poole, 7, plays in the fake snow during the Songs on Sullivant caroling event on the West Side.

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Sullivant Avenue filled with songs, holiday joy during caroling event