bright nights

Bright Nights AT FOREST PARK

Millions 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 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

they wanted to create a holiday lighting display unique in the country, one that would reflect the true “spirit” of the Springfield area. Wasting no time, Bell sent John Catenaci, the company’s design director, to Springfield. Immediately on his journey through the park, Catenaci began to paint a picture in his mind where some of the displays that organizers wanted him to design would go. There would be the Cat in the Hat, skaters as a tip of the hat to Everett Barney who not only donated land for Forest Park, but also invented the modern-day ice skate, and board pieces as a tribute to nearby Milton Bradley Company in East Longmeadow, now known as Hasbro. Today, as drivers make their way into Forest Park - joining over 6 million visitors from around the world who have visited Bright Nights over the years - they will be greeted at the front gate with some giant red flowers in Poinsettia Fantasy, then continue their tour viewing displays called American Flag, Spirit of the Season, Winter Garden, Springfield Thunderbirds, MGM Springfield, Seuss Land, Letters to Santa, Garden of Peace, Jurassic World, Victorian Village, Barney Mansion, Leaping Frog, Winter Woods, North Pole Village, Toy Land, Giant Poinsettia Candles and Happy Holidays, Springfield. To keep visitors safe and healthy this season while traveling through the

winter wonderland of lights, some changes had to be made including new hours, how to purchase tickets, and foregoing some family-fun activities until hopefully next year. For those familiar with Bright Nights and who have made it a family tradition over the past 25 years, this year’s journey is drive-through only and Santa’s Magical Forest, which was home to the gift shop, children’s rides, and photos with Santa, will be closed to visitors. Horse-drawn wagon and carriage rides have also been suspended until next year. The good news is that Santa will be leaving his elves behind to run the shop, and he will be traveling from the North Pole to Bright Nights every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5-8 p.m. where he will be waving to passers-by just inside the gates. If you want a memento of your visit to Bright Nights, you can still purchase one, but you will need to head to downtown Springfield beforehand, where the gift shop has been moved to the William C. Sullivan Regional Visitor Center at 1319 Main St. For hours visit springfielddowntown.com/ springfield-regional-visitor-center/. While in the gift shop, visitors can purchase the recently-published 25th anniversary book – “Bright Nights – A Treasured Tradition for 25 Years.” The book is filled with memories sent to the Spirit of Springfield from those who have traveled through Bright Nights, stories about how it all started and the crew that keeps it all together, and tons of color photographs of the holiday park in all its glory and more. In addition to all kinds of Bright Nights

mementoes and other gifts, the tradition continues this year of introducing a second in the series of children’s books especially created for the Spirit of Springfield. Written by Michele Dufresne, “The Perfect Place” is about a dinosaur who is afraid of the dark, but finds comfort in the twinkling magic of Bright Nights. The book costs $10, $20 including the plush deer from the story, or $12 for the deer alone. While in the gift shop, visitors can also purchase copies of the first book in the series, “The Little Reindeer Lights the Night.” This year’s Bright Nights runs through Jan. 3. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 to 8:45 p.m.; Friday, Saturday and holidays from 4:30 to 8:45 p.m.

The magical journey is open for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Ticket prices are $23 per car, limousines are $35, mini buses seating 17-31 persons are $50, and buses with a seating capacity of more than 31 persons are $100. Tickets will not be sold at the gate this year and must be purchased in advance at brightnights.org or at Big Y World Class Markets for $16.50 with your Silver Savings Club Card. For something extra, the Spirit of Springfield offers a free Bright Nights Loyalty Card, which never expires and offers holders a variety of perks, including a restaurant coupon book, 25% off Bright Night’s merchandise and the new gift shop located at Springfield’s Visitors Center, and much more. Also, while supplies last for Loyalty Card members, they can pick up a free mask and 2020 ornament at the Visitors Center. Registration for the card and a complete list of other freebies is available at brightnights.org. Restrooms are available for emergency use only and are located near the entrance.

Masks must be worn upon exiting your car. If you want to check out the traffic at the gates before venturing out to visit Bright Nights at Forest Park, you can check brightnights.org/live-webcam. After leaving Bright Nights, the light show continues in downtown Springfield, where buildings such as Monarch Place, MassLive, TD Bank, Tower Square, as well as MGM Springfield are shining brightly. Also, Court Square has a 30-ft traditional Christmas tree decorated with colored lights and an illuminated fountain. There are also halos on the park’s light poles and halos up and down the Memorial Bridge. And as you travel Main Street into the North End, there are snowflakes adorning the light posts.

For the most up-to-date information on Bright Nights, call 413-733-3800 or visit brightnights.org.