Holiday Light Festival returns to Yanney Park with over 50 displays

KEARNEY, Neb. — Yanney Park is glowing again as the City of Kearney hosts its 8th Annual Holiday Light Festival, which is an event that typically draws more than 4,000 visitors each year.

From 5:30–8:30 p.m. nightly, trees and walkways from the Peterson Senior Activity Center to the Gottschalk Tower shine with displays created by 53 local organizations.

Each group designs its own lighted scene, turning the park into a long, colorful holiday trail.

Ellie Gullion, with Parker/Baldwin, says her team enjoys helping bring the festival to life. “We’ve been doing this for three or four years,” she said. “We’ve got a Frozen-themed display, and some of the air filters we make are part of the design.”

Parker also sponsors one of the themed nights. “We’re doing Glow Night on December 8,” said Gullion. “We’ll be out here handing out glow sticks and all sorts of fun stuff.”

Each evening features a different theme, from Hot Chocolate Night and First Responder Night to Candy Cane, Glow Lights, Jingle Bell, Cookie Night and Santa Night. Many themes include giveaways, treats, or meet-and-greet opportunities depending on the sponsor.

Gullion says the mix of creativity and community involvement is what makes the event special. “It’s brighter every year,” she said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to come out, enjoy Christmas lights in one place, and just have some fun.”

The Holiday Light Festival runs through Dec. 15 at Yanney Park.