This weekend marks the first Saturday of December and that means it’s time for Redmond Lights.
The annual winter festival is in its 18th year and will be from 4-8 p.m. The event will begin at City Hall campus (15670 N.E. 85th St.) and end at Redmond Town Center (RTC). There will be a few new activities as well as time-honored traditions that have been around since its inception.
BRINGING LIGHT TO REDMOND LIGHTS
Megan Worzella, events and marketing coordinator for the City of Redmond, said one of their goals was to keep things fresh with new elements this year.
Those new elements include four temporary light art installations along the luminary trail — which begins at City Hall, runs along the Redmond Central Connector (RCC) and ends at RTC.
The first installation will be by Suzanne Tidwell. According to a City of Redmond press release, her floating lights will be in the shape of holiday lights and illuminate the Sammamish River. Tidwell’s installation can be seen along the luminary walk or from above on the 85th Street bridge.
Elise Koncsek’s installation of twirling lights will cast shadows in a series of wooden light boxes specifically designed for Redmond Lights, the release continues. These lanterns will be available for event attendees to spin and enjoy and will be installed in trees along the Sammamish River Trail.
Kristie Smith and Vikram Madan’s installation will feature Pacific Northwest local Sassy the Sasquatch, a friendly giant who will be glowing with goodwill toward all, according to the release.
The fourth and final installation will feature the work of the Seattle Design Nerds, whose piece “GlowWorm” will be along the RCC, the release states. This interactive installation will feature a large, color-changing inflatable, twisting its way through the trail.
The luminary trail will also feature an installation by Redmond poet laureate Shin Yu Pai. She will share some of her poetry near City Hall via a custom balloon installation and poetry balloons will be available for the first 250 attendees.
This year’s Redmond Lights will also allow attendees to take a more active role in the art as they will be able to make paper lanterns, which they can take with them as they walk along the luminary trail, Worzella said.
“We wanted to honor and signify the progressive nature of the event,” she added about bringing in new features and interactive activities to the festival.
KEEPING WITH TRADITION
While the installations along the trail are new this year, the luminary trail has been a long-standing Redmond Lights tradition and has become one of the highlights of the event.
“The luminaries will be out in full force as they always had,” Worzella said.
To set up for the evening, she said members of the city’s park and recreation department as well as volunteers will place the luminary bags along the trail early Saturday morning.
“It takes a ton of volunteer help,” Worzella said about setting up the luminary trail as well as Redmond Lights as a whole.
Volunteers, she said, help with general event set up and tear down, offer support to the various activity booths and more.
Another Redmond Lights tradition is the light blinker. Attendees will be able to collect their signature Experience Redmond light blinkers (while supplies last) at City Hall.
A TIME OF UNITY
Worzella said the city also wanted to focus on highlighting different cultural traditions and in many cultures, lanterns play a big role during the winter time.
Another way in which the city will highlight the area’s different cultures has been to invite members of local faith groups to participate in the festivities.
Leaders from the seven participating groups will be onstage with Mayor John Marchione for the tree lighting. Worzella said this is a way to show the city’s unity and how the community is coming together.
Redmond Lights will feature performances at City Hall as well as along the trail. Performers include Japanese Taiko drummers, fire twirlers, Keith Highlanders Pipe Band, Rhythms of India dance group and International Lion Dance Team.
TOWN CENTER ACTIVITIES
There will also be entertainment for attendees to enjoy once they arrive at the town center.
Jessica Morgan, director of marketing for RTC, said they will have six bands performing throughout the evening.
In addition to the live music, there will be photos with Santa, a horse carousel, a Polar Express train people can ride around the town center property, food samples from onsite restaurants, a live ice carver and arts and crafts.
And for the third year in a row, RTC will have a synthetic ice skating rink. Morgan said unlike the last two years, the rink will be covered, which will keep it usable even when it is raining.
The skating rink — along with the town center’s other winter season activities — opened for use on Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving, and will stay open through Jan. 1, 2017.
Morgan said the ice rink comes in sections and is run by Orswell Events, who began setting it up a week prior to its opening. The company also had to sharpen the rental ice skates beforehand.
New to the town center activities this year is a trampoline by Springfree Trampoline. Morgan said RTC has worked with the company during other events throughout the year and they thought it would be fun to add them to their winter season lineup.
“And it’s been very popular,” she said. “They had quite a line on (Nov. 25).”
Attendees can also start the day early by shopping at the Redmond Lights Holiday Market at the Redmond Senior Center (8703 160th Ave. N.E.), from noon to 6 p.m. The market will feature gifts by local artists.
Parking is available at Redmond Town Center or City Hall Parking garage. A free shuttle runs that day between both locations from 3:30–8:30 pm. For more information about Redmond Lights, visit www.redmondlights.com.
