Drive-thru holiday light show coming to Findlay

FINDLAY — Findlay's first drive-thru holiday light show will have the Hancock County Fairgrounds sparkling beginning Friday. There will be thousands of lights, dazzling displays and festive music filling the air, all while raising funding and awareness for mental health and addiction counseling and recovery services provided by Family Resource Center. "Unfortunately we came up with the idea in July, not February which would have been the perfect time. So we have been rushed to get it done," said Rachel Walter, head of FRC's communications and development. "I even talked to one person who was like 'Oh, my gosh, we needed this forever,'" she added. "Twinkle Nights" starts Friday at 6 p.m. Vehicles should enter at the Fishlock Avenue gate. The show continues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 23 from 6-9 p.m. each night. It's recommended that visitors arrive around dusk to get in line. The idea for the event came up during a summer meeting of the communication team which consists of Walter, Dave Crosser, community relations lead; and Carly Gostomsky, communications coordinator. "We knew that fundraising was something we needed to figure out, and we've never really done a lot of fundraising," said Walter. They looked at different options like mailers, then realized that a lot of the successful nonprofits have a signature event Children's Mentoring Connection, for example, has Bowling for Kids. They didn't want to duplicate any of the other events in the community, but they wanted a fundraiser that would align with the FRC's mission, she said. "We're sitting at the table in July and I'm like, let's do this," said Crosser. "And we kind of went, we can't do this. But here we are. And there's so much room to grow at the fairgrounds." After receiving approval from the board, it's been a sprint to get sponsors and figure out the logistics, said Walter. "Truly we could not have been more fortunate with how much support and sponsorships that have come in from businesses," she said. "I mean, they took a chance on us." They found Holiday Outdoor Décor, a lighting company from Chicago. "They've been so great to work with. They brought all of the larger metal figures because I don't think people realize the cost associated with these, thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars," she said. In addition to the snowmen, reindeer, Santa's, penguins, toy soldiers and polar bears the company provided, the crew is adding a lot of local touches as well. Walter said displays are also being made by some businesses including Goodyear and RCR Technologies. Kreate, a local plastic tote company, makes large black bins. Walter said they're using the totes to create a giant Christmas tree. A number of car dealerships are lighting up vehicles, she noted. There will be a Cousin Eddie look alike from the "Christmas Vacation" movie. Walter said he'll be dressed in a robe and have an RV, replicating one of the scenes from the film. There's a lighted tunnel while another space of white and blue with falling icicles will also have a giant "988," thanks to a grant, she said. "It's like 911 for mental health, and Family Resource Center is a behavioral health organization," said Walter, adding that's why they decided to do the show during the holidays. "While it's a wonderful time, for a lot of people it's a very, very hard time," she said. "And so we just wanted to find something to bring a little bit of joy and make it accessible We're trying to get free tickets to families in need so there's an opportunity to donate when you buy." They're hoping for a lot of traffic, and the city has been working to make sure the light show doesn't negatively impact the neighbors. "So we have a path and if we have too many people, which would be wonderful, we've got a second path that we can use so we're not messing with Sandusky (Street) too much," Walter said. Most every weekend will have a special designation. Friday will be a special walk-through night. Entry will be by donation. No ticket is needed. Nov. 22-23 is opening weekend. The following weekend, Nov. 28-30, will feature Toys for Tots. Bring a new unwrapped toy and receive a free drink from Travelin' Tom's Coffee Truck that will be onsite. Dec. 5-7 will honor veterans, who will receive a free drink, and Dec. 10 and 17 are Calm & Bright Nights for guests who prefer a gentler light and sound experience. Holiday characters will visit Dec. 12-14, and Santa will at the fairgrounds Dec. 19-21 to take photos with visitors. The cost is $14.99 a carload or a season pass for $24.99 which allows visits anytime during the show. One paid admission can also be donated for $14.99. Both cards and cash will be accepted. Walter said it will probably take 15-20 minutes to drive through the path. The show will be held rain or shine. To ensure that visitors have time to enjoy the full experience, it's recommended that they arrive and get in line by 8:45 p.m. each night. Admission gates close at 9 p.m., and they reserve the right to stop admitting vehicles at that time. If visitors are turned away because the line closes before their vehicle reaches the gate, their unscanned ticket will be honored another open night of the show. "Both Dave and I are very like we want to make things great. And so we're like, let's not let everybody down. For our first year, I think this is going to be a solid show, and we're looking forward to it being part of every year," said Walter. Some souvenirs including ornaments and stocking hats will be available for purchase. "We look forward to making it bigger each year, that's the goal," she said. Volunteers, from responsible teens and older, are needed to help with the event. A sign-up is available on the website: www.twinklenightsfindlay.com Walter said there's also a paid position available for a volunteer coordinator. "It's been a labor of love and exhausting," she said. "I think it's going to be a really nice addition to the holiday tradition," Crosser added.