With another Festival of Lights in the rear-view mirror, coordinator Michelle Pirzek took some time to reflect on the 2016 Festival.

"It was certainly one of our most challenging seasons, but I think it was also one of our most rewarding. When the chips were down, the community certainly stepped up and pulled together and allowed us to continue."

Extreme cold weather at the beginning of December kept visitors away, causing concern that the Festival would not be able to open in 2017 if they were unable to recoup expenses on upgrading all of their light displays. Despite those difficulties, Pirzek is optimistic going forward.

"Right now I can say confidently that we will be open for next year."

Pirzek says that the shape of next season still needs to be determined, and that there probably won't be any new additions to the Festival. However, she believes that most visitors were dazzled by the new light displays, and that those will continue to attract visitors in 2017.

Looking ahead, Pirzek said that 2017 will include a much needed break, as well as a reexamination of the Festival's model and business plan. They'll also finally update the remaining light displays.

"We've already invested the money, so it's just a matter of time. We simply ran out of time. We had the materials, we just didn't have enough bodies in time to get them all done. And fifty is a lot less daunting than the eight hundred we were looking at last year.

 

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