Team Travis supports Vacaville’s annual holiday event

  • Published
  • By Ellen Hatfield, 349th Public Affairs
  • 349 AMW
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A long standing tradition brought together about 15,000 revelers for downtown Vacaville’s annual Merriment on Main celebration Nov. 29. For Mayor Len Augustine, a retired Air Force colonel, that tradition includes Travis Air Force base commanders helping him flip a giant switch to light up the town Christmas tree.

There was a lineup of local musical talent performing prior to the tree lighting, including the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West’s rock/pop group, Mobility. They had the crowd happily warmed up on the clear, but cold night, as Col. John Klein, 60th Air Mobility Wing commander, Col. Raymond Kozak, the Reserve’s 349th AMW commander, and Col. Joel Safranek, 621st Contigency Response Group commander, stepped up to the switch with the Mayor, and longtime City Manager, Laura Kuhn, who retires in February 2017. The tree lit up with the glow of holiday colors, and the jolly old elf, Santa Claus appeared with a “ho, ho, ho.”

This was the 34th year of the merriment. “It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Augustine.