Light Up the Park kicks off first year in Rochester

Monday, December 16, 2024 at 10:54 AM

By Shelby Lopez

A lighting ceremony kicked off the very first Light Up the Park event at the Rochester City Park Saturday. Cars lined down East 13th Street in anticipation for the event, prompting park board members to turn on the lights a half an hour early than initially planned.

Rochester Park and Recreation Board members kicked off Light Up the Park at the Rochester City Park with a lighting ceremony Saturday evening. The lights will remain on each evening at the park until Jan. 4. For safety, traffic in the park is being reduced to a one-way driving path around the park, with the entrance and exit being on 13th Street near the baseball diamond.

Light Up the Park is a free drive-thru holiday experience, with the lights being donated by community members. Cars were lined down East 13th Street Saturday evening in anticipation of the event, prompting park board members to turn on the lights a half an hour early than initially planned. To celebrate the occasion, park board members braved the cold, windy weather and welcomed visitors to the event by passing out candy cans at the entrance.

Rochester Park and Recreation Board member Kimberlie Landis said the event was a last minute idea to bring holiday cheer to the community. Landis said park board member Ed Richard and Rochester Park and Recreation marketing consultant Jessica Shafer helped hang this year's decorations. Fulton County REMC and RTC Fiber Communications also had a hand in the event by creating the entrance way on 13th Street. Bloodline Jeeps also rolled in to participate in the lights, coming from places like South Bend, Warsaw, Huntington and Fort Wayne.

Landis said she hopes for Light Up the Park to grow each year as more community members and businesses participate with the event in the years ahead.