LEWISBURG, Pa. -- There are all kinds of holiday traditions on Market Street in Lewisburg. One is shopping at the many stores that line the downtown.
"Lewisburg is a beautiful town to shop in. It's artsy and just nice," Diane Schweitzer said.
Another holiday tradition is the Christmas lights. Each year, the trees are lit up with white lights.
"I'd say at least the last 20 years, probably longer than that," Kathy Snyder said.
But this year, the lights will stay dark. According to Lewisburg Council President Kathy Morris, the lights are in bad shape and need to be replaced. She says it will cost $50,000 to replace them, and Lewisburg does not have the money in its budget.
"I think it will be a disappointment. It's really nice to see the trees lit up during the holiday and all throughout December, too," Gregory Amarante said.
The lights stayed lit this year for several months after Christmas. Morris tells Newswatch 16 that played a role in the lights going dark for Christmas.
"At this time of year when the sun is going down early and things are lit up, it just kind of brings a certain sense of atmosphere that kind of brightens things up," Amarante said.
"I think it's sad because it is such a festive and artsy town. I think it's a shame that they're not lighting them," Schweitzer said.
As a solution, lights were added to decorative baskets this year which people have mixed opinions about.
"We're all trying to add a little more white lights to our windows and do whatever we can to make it brighter this year to make up for it until next year," Snyder said.
Kathy Snyder owns Brushstrokes which is on Market Street.
"Sad to hear it, glad to know that there's hope for the future in it. I know the lights were really starting to deteriorate. You could kind of see it. They weren't all lighting up, that kind of thing," Snyder said.
Council members say they hope to have the lights up and running next year.