For the last four years, the Junior League of Odessa has been offering horse-drawn carriage rides at the Emerald Forest Subdivision part of Odessa to let people experience the Christmas lights in the area.
The Junior League of Odessa began this tradition back in 2017 and have continued to have their Christmas Carriage Rides as a way to raise funds.
“We needed another fundraiser to go along with our Junior League events and this project was started through the Odessa Board of Realtors and they passed it on to us,” Christmas Carriage Rides Chairperson Bertha Jaramillo said. “It started as four days. Last year, because of COVID, this was our only fundraiser. We had it for seven days last year and this year it’s for six days.”
The first three nights of the carriage rides were on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The other three nights will be from 6:30 to 8:50 p.m. on Dec. 14, 15 and 16.
The Junior League of Odessa is a nonprofit volunteer organization that gives back to the community in a number of ways including grants, community assistance funds, partnering with community organizations and launching initiatives that address childhood poverty.
Tickets can be purchased online at jlodessa.org.
Available private carriages can be purchased for the following: four-person is $150, six-person is $200 and $375 for 12 people.
Each ride is approximately 20 minutes long.
“It’s just another way to spread joy throughout the holidays,” Jaramillo said. “All the funds collected will go back to servicing our community. We have different projects that we support throughout the year and also we have a program called the Community Assistance Fund which we are able to give out to nonprofits and we can get up to $5,000. It’s a good way for people to come out and celebrate the holidays and give back to the community.”
Thursday night was the first night of this year’s carriage rides and many families came by.
For some of them, it was their first time riding in the Christmas carriages.
Sheila Bell, who was with her family that included three grandkids was one of the people there for the first time on Thursday night.
“This will be a new Christmas tradition for our family,” Bell said. “It’s something for our children and grandchildren.”
Bell and the rest of her family have been in Odessa their entire lives.
“We’ve seen Odessa go through many changes and this is one of the wonderful things that we’ve started doing,” Bell said.
Thursday night’s conditions couldn’t have been better as the weather featured clear skies and the temperatures were around the 60s.
Kyle Smith, whose family recently moved to Odessa from Colorado, was out at Emerald Forest Thursday night with his two daughters Olivia and Evelyn for the carriage rides.
“Somebody in our neighborhood posted on Facebook that there were carriage rides going on and I looked it up and it looked like it was fun to do,” Smith said.
The horse and carriages are provided by Rockin RA Carriages which is owned by Randy Scannell.
The horses used are Belgian Draft Horses.
“For me it’s good fun,” Scannell said. “We already have the horses anyway and it’s something that’s fun to do and helps everyone make a little bit extra during Christmas time and it gives the public something to do.”
Scannell said they do many events during the year including weddings, birthdays and quinceaneras.
“We’re always around,” Scannell said.
For the Junior League of Odessa, it’s a fun tradition to continue to do every year.
“The children love to be around the horses and it’s a time for families to come out and have fun,” Jaramillo said. “You can drive around but it’s not the same experience as being on a carriage and that makes it special.”
If you go
- What: Christmas Carriage Rides.
- Where: Emerald Forest Subdivision, parking is available in the alley on the southwest side of Shiloh road and Stoney Ridge Road.
- When: 6:30-8:50 p.m. Dec. 14-16.
- Price: Four person- $150, 6 person- $200, 12 person-$375
