! KEITH O’CONNOR NATE BLAIS & THE REPUBLICAN PHOTOGRAPHERS
Bright Nights
M
illions of fun seekers have traveled through the gates of Springfield’s Forest Park to enjoy a myriad of leisure time activities over the years. It wasn’t until 1995, however, that a park that was dark at night would be magically filled with lights and memories. Attendance at this city oasis took a staggering jump to over 300,000 visitors in just a little over one month to see Bright Nights at Forest Park. Now in its 26th year, Bright Nights has earned the title of the Northeast’s “premier holiday lighting experience.” Over 650,000 lights in beautiful colors adorn one-of-a-kind displays throughout the park taking visitors on a magical three-mile holiday journey. “We expect that this year’s Bright Nights will be our biggest ever. People need a reason to get out of their homes
and celebrate after what has been a very stressful year between COVID-19
Now in its 26th year, Bright Nights has earned the title of the Northeast’s “premier holiday lighting experience.” and the turmoil in our country,” said Judith A. Matt, president of the Spirit of Springfield, organizers of the nationally-recognized holiday light fest. Bright Nights at Forest Park began with the vision of two people who
AT FOREST PARK were both champions of a city they had grown to love over their lifetime. It started back in February 1995 with a brochure about holiday lighting displays that came across the desk of Patrick J. Sullivan, executive director, Springfield Department of Parks, Buildings & Recreation Management. He knew that taking on such an ambitious project to turn Forest Park into a winter wonderland of festive lights would require additional help, a lot of help. He turned to Matt at the Spirit of Springfield, where “thinking big” is their forte. Eventually the brochure led to a call to Carpenter Decorating in Hickory, North Carolina. When speaking with Dennis Bell, Carpenter Decorating’s director of sales, Matt shared some of their ideas for displays with him and told Bell that GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 31
