IBEW holiday lights glow through New Year’s Day in Phalen Park

November 14, 2013 by
Holiday Lights in the Park is a dynamic light display in Phalen Park.

Holiday Lights in the Park is a dynamic light display in Phalen Park.

IBEW Holiday Lights in the Park, the larger-than-life display of holiday-themed light sculptures, will open its gates Nov. 26 and light up St. Paul’s Phalen Park nightly through New Year’s Day.

Developed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and King of Kings Lutheran Church of Woodbury, Holiday Lights in the Park is a volunteer-run, charitable endeavor entering its sixth year.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Second Harvest Heartland, Union Gospel Mission, the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy, the St. Paul Police Foundation, and UnderConstruction, an organization that introduces young people to careers in the Building Trades.

Admission is $8 per car Sunday through Thursday nights and $10 per car on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. On Dec. 3 all military families that arrive with a valid military ID will be given free admission to the display.

For more information about the “Holiday Lights in the Park” display and related fundraising activities, go to www.lightsinthepark.org.

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Five years later, Electrical Workers’ holiday lights still a big hit with families

November 29, 2012 by

Volunteer Bruce Ferry, a retired member of IBEW Local 110, assembles a Holiday Lights in the Park display.

IBEW Holiday Lights in the Park has come a long way since its inception in 2008. What began as a family-friendly way to raise funds for worthy Twin Cities charities has since spawned a concert series and four albums of holiday music, raising $170,000 for its non-profit partners along the way.

But in spite of its success and popularity, Holiday Lights, which opened in St. Paul’s Phalen Park Nov. 20 and runs through New Year’s Day, remains a volunteer-driven community event.

That fact was evident as volunteers from locals 110 and 292 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers went about bringing the show’s “light sculptures and animated displays” to life last month.

Gary Oman, a retired member of St. Paul-based IBEW Local 110, was among the volunteers working Nov. 15 to assemble a display featuring Santa’s reindeer. It was his first year volunteering with Holiday Lights in the Park.

“The union gave me a lot in the 36 years I was working,” Oman said. “We’re just returning the favor today.”

While Oman and other electrical workers volunteer to assemble the displays, volunteers from King of Kings Lutheran Church in Woodbury staff the event each night, greeting visitors, collecting donations and directing traffic through the park.

As a result, Holiday Lights maintains a unique charm that separates it from the likes of the Holidazzle Parade downtown Minneapolis. What’s more, Holiday Lights is easier to get to for many visitors, who don’t have to leave the warmth of their running vehicles.

All net proceeds of the event, as well as CD sales of “Holiday Lights Volume 4” and ticket sales for the “Holiday Lights LIVE” concert, benefit Second Harvest Heartland, Union Gospel Mission, the St. Paul Parks Conservancy and UnderConstruction, a non-profit organization that introduces youth to careers in the construction trades.

For more information on the Holiday Lights event and the music, visit www.lightsinthepark.org.

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Electrical Workers present ‘Holiday Lights in the Park’ in St. Paul

November 16, 2012 by

John Kripotos of IBEW Local 292 assembles one of the light displays that will make up Holiday Lights in the Park.

For the fifth consecutive year, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will raise funds for local charities with its annual holiday lights display.

Presented in partnership with King of Kings Lutheran Church, “Holiday Lights in the Park” will run nightly Nov. 20 through New Year’s Day, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. in St. Paul’s Phalen Park.

Visitors will experience more than 50 larger-than-life holiday light sculptures and animated displays as they drive through the park.

Admission per car is $8 Sundays through Thursdays, and $10 per car Fridays, Saturdays and holidays.

All net proceeds from the event will go to local nonprofits, including Second Harvest Heartland, Union Gospel Mission, St. Paul Parks Conservancy and UnderConstruction, an organization that introduces youth to careers in the Building Trades.

For more information about the “Holiday Lights in the Park” display and related fundraising activities, visit: www.lightsinthepark.org.

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