Light Up Streator turns 25 as volunteer effort continues to grow

When the Christmas lights go on Saturday evening for the 25th season in Streator City Park, it will garner oohhs and aahhs following the countdown.

Since 1998, the Light Up Streator display has expanded from using whatever hand-me-down or homemade decorations could be gathered during its debut into what’s now a year-round committee that decorates not only the entirety of City Park, but also throughout the city.

Additionally, Light Up Streator has partnered with the former Santa parade organized by Ace Hardware to create a day full of activities called Keeping Christmas Close to Home.

Light Up Streator volunteer Darcy Mollo remembers those early days when Light Up Streator was just getting off the ground.

“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what it’s become 25 years later. To be doing what we’re doing now is simply amazing.”
— Darcy Mollo, Light Up Streator volunteer

She said the conversation started on Ted Weber’s radio show, “how come Streator is not decorating for Christmas?” Public works staffing, the time needed to put up displays and the condition of the city’s decorations all played into what then was an absence of a holiday display.

The first group of about a dozen people scrounged up whatever lights they could get together to decorate Main Street and with a positive review from the community they decided to meet and discuss ideas to make the displays bigger and better, Mollo said.

The group then decorated City Park, quickly realizing it needed to raise money to bring more electricity to the park if the operation was going to grow.

“To start, we were decorating half of the park, just the Park Street side where it was visible for people who drove by,” Mollo said. “There was a whole lot of handmade decorations, wire-frame ornaments and lights wrapped around tree trunks.”

Mollo said the committee decorated the whole park in 1999.

“It was minimal compared to what it is now,” she said.

She recalls Jeff Williams from Westgate Shopping Plaza tipping off the committee about the city of Minonk throwing out some of its decorations. Minonk officials told the committee it could have anything that went into the trash.

“We literally went dumpster diving, and we found the garland we used to wrap around the light poles,” Mollo said. “I remember thinking it was meant to be, because we found exactly 22 of them and we had 22 light poles in the park.”

Light Up Streator grew quickly, however, as year-round fundraising began to pay for more decorations, newer lights and better infrastructure. The park was building a stronger and stronger glow each year.

Inspired by the Celebration of Lights at Rotary Park in La Salle, the committee started commissioning light displays wrapped around iron designs for businesses to sponsor. The Streator High School welding class partnered with Light Up Streator to create the designs, giving the community more buy-in than ever.

The Light Up Streator displays have grown grander beyond the City Park, with the committee putting up displays at the fire station, City Hall, near the Hopalong Cassidy mural and at the city’s welcome signs.

This year, the committee will unveil 8-foot candy canes at each of the arches in City Park. There will be two new displays – a grandma sitting by a Christmas tree sponsored by Evergreen and an end loader sponsored by Feken.

New Merry Christmas and Santa flying in his sleigh lighted signs created by Jeremy Walker of Anthony Liftgate will be on display in the City Park, said Joe Richard.

“We’ve come a long way in the past 19 to 20 years,” Richard said, noting he was not part of the first committee because he lived out of town, but joined upon moving back to Streator.

Light Up Streator also will debut a new event Saturday, Dec. 16, giving families another opportunity to experience the illuminated City Park. The evening will feature a visit from Cruisin’ Concessions, horse-drawn carriage rides, music, hot chocolate and a visit from Santa.

“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what it’s become 25 years later,” Mollo said. “To be doing what we’re doing now is simply amazing.”

The committee will be selling commemorative 25th anniversary ornaments. They will be available Saturday near the Pavilion. They are $5 and limited quantity.

Mollo said Light Up Streator volunteers transformed what was an empty feeling among residents 25 years ago into something residents look forward to every season. When the countdown gets to 0 Saturday, there will be some oohs and aahs as the park illuminates with thousands of lights.

“Follow your heart,” Mollo said. “This is a prime example of how an idea came together, we had the support from City Hall, support of the community, support of volunteers, and we put it all together to make something Streator can be proud of.”