Friday, November 20, 2009 9:41 PM CST
Lightworks includes new displays this year
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
MATTOON — You might want to brake a few extra times during Mattoon Lightworks this year.
Otherwise, you might miss some wonders in Peterson Park.
During a test lighting Thursday, parks Superintendent Kurt Stretch offered a brief peek at the newest additions to the Lightworks display.
Using a small remote control, Stretch turned on four sections of the displays within a few minutes as he drove to the start of the route at the park entrance on Broadway Avenue.
“This saves us a lot of trouble going to different spots to flip a switch. A local electrician thought it up for us,” Stretch said.
The newest displays are a reindeer “outhouse” and some pets pawing at a Christmas tree. Both are on the east side of the route that now includes 40 different displays and about 40 accessory pieces.
“We have nine new sponsors this year. We thought that was pretty good,” Stretch said.
Started in 1992, Lightworks has some displays that have drawn fanfare, especially the “God Bless the USA” American flag display on the north side of the route.
“It is sponsored by all the local veterans groups. People always talk about how they like to see that big lighted flag,” said Stretch of the display in its third year at the park.
Animation effects, ranging from flying reindeer to snowball fights, are also popular with the visitors each year.
“People like the reindeer jumping over the road. It’s kinda fun to watch,” Stretch said.
These are the most complex displays that require the lighting sequence to go through different steps, Stretch said. This is completed with electronic devices for animation timing.
“Look at some of them for a time and you will see nine steps to get the effect. It’s very interesting,” Stretch said during a pause before one of the animated displays.
When visitors get in a hurry they might miss some details like an umpire Santa raising his arm to call a pitch or the smoke from a Santa train or a motorcycle carrying the jolly old elf.
“There are some interesting stories with them so you need to look close when you come through,” Stretch said.
Many of the displays date back to the start of Lightworks 17 years ago. Most have been updated, too.
One future update for the displays will be new LED lights to save on the electric bill. But that is a few seasons in the future, Stretch said, because of the current cost per LED bulb.
“We have about 45,000 bulbs out there so it will cost a lot to replace all of them,” Stretch said.
Everything is in place for this season. Now the city depends on Mother Nature to provide the right Christmas atmosphere.
“People really love it when it snows during Lightworks,” Stretch said as rain kept hitting his truck windshield Thursday.
Volunteers handing out brochures and collecting free-will donations at the end of the route like the snow, but not the bitterly cold temperatures, he noted.
“That’s why we have the propane heaters for them. Lightworks wouldn’t be the same without the volunteers,” Stretch said.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
If you go
The Lightworks season starts at 5 p.m. today and runs through Dec. 27. The display is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The live nativities, organized by local churches, are scheduled for the first three Fridays in December.
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Mama says wrote on Nov 20, 2009 1:03 AM:
We love going and seeing the Park all aglow and stop alongside and see them all good. Even the dog looks out the window at it all. I like to take friend age 7 along, he puts things in the YOUNG AT HEART perspective. Last year he had his best friend go with us also. We enjoyed it even more. "