North Fork Bridge lights schedule
Lights and garland will adorn the North Fork Bridge again this year, but without all the fanfare. The North Fork Bridge lights, a favorite Three Rivers tradition that was resurrected three years ago by the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce, will be 
illuminated once again this year, beginning Friday, November 20.
During the past two years, the public has been invited to join in the ceremonial bridge-lighting, kicking off the holiday season in Three Rivers and followed by an after-hours mixer at nearby businesses. But COVID-19 strikes again, and there will be no public event.
The Lighting of the North Fork Bridge event became a community event in November 2018, and it was the first time the now-65-year-old bridge had been adorned for this inaugural event.
The lights will shine from 5 to 10 pm nightly from November 20 through January 3. Sponsors of this year’s lights are Wood ‘N’ Horse and Family Health Care Network.
Santa’s Tow Truck has new home 
Another longtime holiday tradition in Three Rivers was Santa’s Tow Truck at Pat O’Connell’s place, which was a favorite sight for 60 years. Pat would decorate the vintage truck with lights bumper to bumper, a toy sack on the tow hook, and with Santa in the driver’s seat waving to all passersby.
Pat O’Connell (1927-2019) owned and operated a gas station, garage, and towing company in Three Rivers, just west of the Highway 198 intersection with North Fork Drive. He lived with his wife, Shirley, and raised his family in a home adjacent to the station. It was here that Santa’s Tow Truck would be in service throughout the Christmas season. Even when Pat could no longer decorate the truck, his son, Jay, kept the tradition alive, and Pat would be the guest of honor at the ceremonial lighting each year until he passed away.
But an end of an era arrived on Friday, November 13, 2020, when Valero Bros. Towing moved the truck to the Three Rivers Historical Museum to join a fleet of old fire trucks. Jay and members of the Three Rivers Historical Society will decorate the truck this year, and it will light up the night from its new home.
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Wait! You mean the tow truck is no longer at my house!?!? But seriously, we are honored and excited to see the truck at its new permanent home and look forward to helping to decorate it for many years to come. Hopefully next year we can make it a big community event. I’ll bring the beer! The O’Connell Family
Haha!
Thank you Jay for letting the tradition continue. Wendy Woods
Love it!
Thanks for keeping the tradition!!
Shoot! Now I’ll have to make a decision every evening. Do I want to see Pat’s tow truck or do I want to see the lights on the North Fork Bridge? In other words, will I cross the Dinely Bridge or the North Fork Bridge to go home? A dilemma to be sure, but isn’t it nice to have such pleasant choices?
What a great way to honor Pat, tradition and the holiday season! The move ensures continued enjoyment for the years to come. Brilliant idea!
A great way to remember a helpful spirit who added quality to our lives. A call to Pat for help was blessed by over the top kindness. After 9/11 terror attack in NY, my nephews family vehicle was stuck in the park. This slice of my families pie are Muslims who some were immigrants from India, clothing, beards and Women covered heads made them targets by many before knowing or even caring that these are American citizens. Pat picked them up. He questioned them and got to know them. He ended up driving them to LA because it was in the middle of the night and he did not want to leave them stranded at a time with so much hostility toward Muslims. When my nephew and his cousins emptied their wallets to pay him for his kindness he refused. Much later I tried to thank Pat and he blushed and shrugged and I had to hold my tongue because it was obvious it was not necessary to be thanked for doing what is right. I see the lite up truck every year and take a moment thanking Pat in gratitude.
Shirley, I’ve heard that story before and it gives me chills and goosebumps….and admittedly more than a little pride. Thank you for sharing it again and giving me a warm feeling. (Yeah, I know…chills and a warm feeling are seemingly contradictory, but you know what I mean.) JayOC
Don’t know why that picture made me weep, but it did. The O’Connells’ live ON!