Walking (or Driving) in a Winter Wonderland By Christine Nessler Marketing & Leisure Sales Director When I was a kid from Northern Iowa, we drove up to Mankato during the holidays to see the lights that lit up the neighborhoods of Mary Circle in North Mankato and North Broad Street in Mankato. Ours wasn’t the only family willing to make the journey to the big city. Thousands of people enjoyed those neighborhood displays. Now, as a parent, I have been hard pressed to find a festive neighborhood to take my own kids…until this year. The Kiwanis Holiday Lights presented by the Mankato Area Foundation and CHS in Sibley Park will be filling a void for the Greater Mankato area. Starting November 23 the Kiwanis Holiday Lights will turn Sibley Park into a Winter Wonderland for locals and visitors alike. And that means more holiday spirit and more dollars coming into our local economy. Visitors can walk or drive through the wonderland for free until December 31. All the Kiwanis ask is that people bring a donation of money or canned goods to be distributed to several local food shelves. The Kiwanis club wants to build on traditions of the past, promote our community and help those in need. For their first year of the Kiwanis Holiday Lights they will use one million LED lights in their display, including animated lights and choreographed lights. There will also be Santa Claus and live reindeer, a Tribute to the Troops, decorated trees and fireworks. For those who are walking in the winter wonderland, there are heated restrooms and warming houses. Opening night, held on November 23, will dazzle guests will
The Greater Mankato Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is an affiliate of Greater Mankato Growth (GMG), operated as an LLC under GMC.The CVB is dedicated to the important work of attracting and servicing visitors to Greater Mankato.
MN Valley Business • november 2012 • 33
Greater Mankato Growth
a night of music, food and a holiday parade, complete with illuminated parade floats. Santa will wrap up the parade and flip the switch to turn on Kiwanis Holiday Lights for a spectacular finish. According to Kyle Mrozek, lead volunteer for the Kiwanis Holiday Lights, the holiday lights display in LaCrosse, Wisconsin typically brings in more than 300,000 visitors each year. That event has been going on for well over a decade. Mrozek said he’s hoping the event will bring in at least 50,000 people in its first year and build from there. “The impact will be tremendous,” said Mrozek. “First, it will have a great economic impact on the local economy as a visitor attraction. Second, it will also be a great opportunity for nonprofit groups in our community to get involved, get their group noticed by thousands of people and also allow them to do a bit of fundraising in the process. Third, it will have the potential to collect thousands of food items that will be distributed to the Greater Mankato food shelves.” Vendors and businesses of Greater Mankato understand the benefit of this holiday event, which is why they are joining forces to make it a success. So far more than $110,000 has been raised for the Kiwanis Holiday Lights. According to Mrozek, they would like to see $125,000 to $150,000 donated to the event this year. “We have well over 100 businesses and non-profit groups involved but our presenting sponsors, The Mankato Area Foundation and CHS, are the key partners that gave our fundraising effort the start we needed,” said Mrozek. Thank you to the Kiwanis, the Mankato Area Foundation, CHS and all of the other businesses that are bringing the Holiday Lights to town. Not only will you be giving my kids special memories of holiday wonder, but you’ll also be providing Greater Mankato with an uptick of visitors and spending in the hospitality industry. For more information, visit visitgreatermankato.com or kiwanisholidaylights.com.