The Festival of Lights committee and a number of generous companies are stepping up to make sure the Christmas spirit is here in Belleville with abundance.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk announced on Monday morning a record number of sponsors for this year’s Christmas Festival of Lights display.
“This year, we have already set a new record for single year donations, topping $43,325.”
Donors recognized on Monday morning at the Rotary Fitness Park on Keegan Parkway include Fitzgibbon Construction; $10,000, K.G. Reid; $10,000, E360S; $5,000, Madison Excavating and Landscaping; $5,000 and Reid Brothers Trucking; $5,000.
This year’s donors to the Festival of Lights were announced on Monday, October 19, 2020. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
Belleville Lighting Display and Gateway Signage Committee Chair Annis Ross, and sister to the late Art “Sonny” Culloden says the support shows just how important this event is to the community.
“Every year, we just continue to grow the donations and we’re so absolutely grateful to the community for this wonderful support. I think it also speaks to the fact how important this is to our community. This has been going for 61 years now and it’s going stronger and stronger every year.”
She says there was some outside of the box thinking when it came to this year’s display because of COVID-19 and the social distancing measures and gathering restrictions in place.
“There’s a will to make this Christmas light display and Festival of Lights continue to happen and there has been so much innovative thinking on behalf of our community and committee members and we’ve come up with what we think are some safe solutions.”
Ross says it is so important for people to have a little extra light and a little extra lift this year.
Mayor Panciuk says the city will continue to grow this event as it remains popular.
“The success that we had in 2019 of this event, indicates that it’s worthy of further city support. So we’re looking forward to an ability to expand this in the future to be able to do more of it.”
The 61st annual Festival of Lights will kick off November 20.
The lighting display is in memory of best friends Billy Foster and Art ‘Sonny’ Culloden, who were killed in an auto accident on Christmas Eve in 1958.
A year later, the first Christmas lights display appeared on the front lawn of Billy’s parents Don and Rita Foster.
Originally built on the front lawn of the Foster’s Emily Street home, the display eventually found its way to the lawn of Bruce and Marjorie Nickle on Marsh Drive for a few years.
Then, after several years at Tom Gavey — Alemite Ball Park, the display was relocated in 2012 to Jane Forrester Park.
The display consists of approximately 40 pieces, including some from the original Foster display.
Fitzgibbon Construction was one of this year’s donors to the Festival of Lights announced on Monday, October 19, 2020. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
K.G. Reid was one of this year’s donors to the Festival of Lights announced on Monday, October 19, 2020. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
E360S was one of this year’s donors to the Festival of Lights announced on Monday, October 19, 2020. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
Madison Excavating and Landscaping was one of this year’s donors to the Festival of Lights announced on Monday, October 19, 2020. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
Reid Bros. Trucking was one of this year’s donors to the Festival of Lights announced on Monday, October 19, 2020. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
