LOUISVILLE, Ky. — City officials have announced that a cherished holiday tradition in Louisville will no longer be the day after Thanksgiving.
Instead, Light Up Louisville will take place the following weekend: Saturday, Dec. 2 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Officials say this change was made to give city employees more time with their families on Thanksgiving.
“Light Up Louisville is a huge team effort, with dozens of employees from Public Works, Facilities, LMPD, and the Mayor’s Office working together, including setting up the event the day before it happens. Moving the event to the following weekend allows our employees to enjoy Thanksgiving Day with their families. We encourage Louisvillians to come downtown on December 2nd to celebrate this wonderful tradition,” Kevin Trager, press secretary for the Office of Mayor Craig Greenberg, said.
There will be many family-friendly activities throughout Light Up Louisville, including live music, dancing, Holiday-themed rides for kids, and the big finale where an enormous tree is lit up.
The Vendor Village will be open for shoppers and there will be free activities in the Children’s Wonderland Workshop, including rides on the Holiday Train for kids of all ages.
The Lots of Lights Parade will greet attendees with bright lights and holiday cheer leading up to the big moment – the arrival of Santa Claus. Later in the night, Santa will "Light Up Louisville" by plugging in the lights of the tree. Free photos with Santa will follow the Light Up moment.
“Moving Light Up Louisville back a week later not only gives the city time to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, it gives us at North Pole Operations a chance to prepare for even larger crowds and extended visual effects,” Wayne Hettinger, Light Up Louisville producer, said. “We are planning to bring even more magic to downtown with the help of Mayor Greenberg and his team. And Santa Claus is very excited to see more families as he arrives in Louisville for the largest wintertime event around.”
Officials say new event activities and a full schedule will be released closer to Light Up Louisville.
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