Festival of Lights - Stephen Foster State Park

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park holds a Festival of Lights each year starting the first week-end in December, which we discovered three years ago. During a camping trip that October, all the volunteers we met told us we just had to see it, but getting a campsite that late would be nearly impossible. We managed to get a slot due to a cancellation, and now every year we book a site many months in advance. The festival attracts everyone within driving distance, and many of us who come from a longer distance and either camp or stay at the local bed and breakfast or hotel.

This year we saw several changes in the light sculptures, along with the old favorites. Festivities start each evening around 5 or 5:30 p.m as it starts to get dark. We usually start walking from the campground between 5:30 and 6 to get the best light for a few photographs. According to the volunteers, over 5 million lights shone this year. We usually walk around to see the lights, and then head toward the craft village area for hot chocolate, popcorn, music, and enjoying the craft demonstrations and exhibits. We went to the museum the first night at 6:30 to enjoy dulcimer music. People wandered in and out for a song or two, we stayed for several.

Below is a small sampling of the lights. Numerous displays dot the park grounds, with shooting stars and their tails sailing through trees, lighted angels, ornaments, and trees, and one of my favorites, the multi-color lolly pop "forest".