The History of the Celebration of Lights
Oshkosh’s Celebration of Lights started seven years ago in Grand Opera House Square with a modest setting of Holiday displays and a lit Christmas tree, filling the one acre park in Downtown Oshkosh. The very next year Celebration moved to Menominee Park, a 109 acre venue located on picturesque Lake Winnebago.
Each year hundreds of thousands of lights are added
Each year hundreds of thousands of lights are added and new displays are either purchased or built. And the growth hasn’t stopped there. Organized and run by volunteers from the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Friends of Oshkosh Parks, Inc, the Celebration's growth has truly been a community effort.
Holiday features of live nativity scene animals including camels, highlander sheep and Sicilian donkeys dot the landscape. Live reindeer are featured at Santa’s village across from a blue Christmas display that would warm the cockles of Scrooge’s heart.
The forty night event had humble beginnings, with the organizers using their best guesses at design during the first three year’s. That changed in 2005 when a professional artist joined the volunteers to add an artistic touch and design to the entire park.
Since then each area has been themed to provide attendees a specific holiday venue. Be it the Twelve Days of Christmas Windows, the Candyland and Toy areas or the Holiday Traditions from around the world. There’s something for everyone.
Thanks to the strong business and non-profit support of Oshkosh’s Celebration of Lights we continue to evolve into Wisconsin’s best enchanting family tradition. Plan to stop by this season, you won’t be disappointed!
