PRAIRIE HOME HOSPICE TO HOST ANNUAL “LIGHT UP THE NIGHT” EVENT
In spite of the challenges of 2020, Prairie Home Hospice will host the Annual “Light Up the Night” event again this year. “While many communities across the state decided not to hold holiday light shows this year, we felt that the community needed this holiday tradition more than ever”, said Tara Plante, Marketing & Development Director for Prairie Home Hospice. “The event may look a little different this year, but there will be lights – tens of thousands of bright, beautiful lights!”
“Just as we’ve done all year, we are thinking a little outside of the box,” said Plante. “We are determined to provide a much-needed holiday distraction, in ways that will allow people to participate and feel that they can do so safely. We want to bring the community together around this special time of year to celebrate the season in ways that connect us with holiday traditions in a year that has been anything but traditional!”
Throughout the event we will ask people to mask up and respect social distancing. Masks can serve as another layer against the cold Minnesota winds, so we hope people will be more willing to don their masks.
This year’s event will kick off once again on Friday, November 27th with our Annual Holiday Light Parade in downtown Marshall, followed by a firework display at Independence Park. The parade line-up will take place at 5 p.m. near Holy Redeemer Church and the parade will start at 6 p.m. The route will follow Main Street to Lyon Street follow Lyon Street to Independence Park, where the fireworks display will take place at 7:30 p.m.
Parade entries are welcome through November 22nd. Please call Prairie Home Hospice at (507)337-0080 by November 22nd to register. “We invite businesses, churches, families, or other groups to consider entering a unit in the holiday parade,” said Plante. “Of course, we expect hundreds of people from the area will also come to watch the parade – so come early and find your place along the parade route to enjoy this favorite annual event!”
“Light Up the Night” will run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening in December from 5-9 p.m. at Independence Park. Activities will be a bit more limited this year as we try to avoid events that will congregate people in one area. New events, such as a community lantern festival, letters to Santa, and others are being planned. Please check out our website at www.prairiehomehospice.org/events or stayed tuned to your local radio and watch your local newspapers for more information to come about these events.
“Something new this year will be the opportunity to drive through part of Independence Park during designated hours, to view the lights,” according to Plante. “Drive through viewing will be an option on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 5-7 p.m. We’ll still offer horse and buggy rides, trolley rides, and hay rack rides. However, there will be limitations on how many people or family groups can ride at a time and the horse and buggies will not run during times that we allow drive through viewing. And of course, people can stroll through the park throughout the event.”
Prairie Home Hospice & Community Care partners with several local organizations to make this event possible. The City of Marshall, Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce, Marshall Convention and Visitors Bureau, Marshall Fire Department, and Holy Redeemer, to name a few. “The partners, area businesses, organizations and hundreds of volunteers who support the event are essential to the success and growth of the event each year,” said Plante. “As important as that support is, our long-term success will depend on the free-will donations we receive throughout the event. Without those donations, we could not continue to host this event each year, and that’s especially true this year. Proceeds also help to support our hospice program and two hospice houses. We welcome every donation and are hoping there may even be a few Special Secret Santas out there looking to brighten our holidays!”
Donations can be dropped off at the event in our red mailboxes; mailed to our office; or made via Pay Pal on our website. For donations mailed in or made via our website, please note that donation is in support of Light Up the Night.
Volunteers are still welcome to help at the event. To sign up to volunteer to help with this event, please go to our website at www.prairiehomehospice.org and click on our events pages or contact Tara Plante at the Prairie Home Hospice & Community Care office at (507)337-0080.