There’s no set way to enjoy the Holiday Lights on Mooseheart’s campus.
Many come in groups. Some come in costume. You might even find an occasional Santa or elf driving through to look at the display.
“We often see kids in their jammies, and they’re driving through right before bedtime,” volunteer Natalie Hoskins said. “Or they have a Happy Meal. They all go out and get dinner and drive through and eat their dinner in the car as they drive through Mooseheart.”
Now in its seventh year, the Holiday Lights shine on the city and school campus from 5-9 p.m. Nov. 24-Dec. 31 at Mooseheart. For $10 per vehicle (buses/trollies call 630-906-3601 for rate), visitors can travel the approximately two-mile route to view a variety of holiday light displays.
“We call it Holiday Lights because it encompasses three holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” Mooseheart executive director Gary Urwiler said.
Created several years ago by former Mooseheart executive director Scott Hart, the event started as a way to reach out to the local community and give people a behind-the-scenes look at the facility.
“It was an opportunity for people who’ve maybe driven around Mooseheart for years and don’t really understand the mission of Mooseheart and know what lies behind the entrance of Route 31 to come firsthand on our campus and hopefully be touched in a holiday spirit and get to know more about Mooseheart,” Urwiler said.
All of the money raised through the Holiday Lights event goes directly back into Mooseheart. Since 1913, the residential childcare facility has been providing a second chance for children of need, he said. Currently there are 207 students in the program, ranging in age from newborn to high school. A transitional living program for those through age 21 is also offered on the campus.
“We’re not charging kids to be here. This is all based on our membership who give these children a chance to succeed. We pay for everything, whether it be medical care, clothing, food, housing, electricity, we pay for it all,” Urwiler said. “It is quite a blessing when you think about the Loyal Order of Moose and the resources they provide us to be able to provide for these children. It’s astronomical how blessed we are.”
As the popularity of the Holiday Lights grew over the years, Mooseheart continued to make the event more family-oriented, which has helped draw more visitors, he said.
“I think it’s working. I’d love to see a greater volume of numbers. We are touching the lives of 11,000 people that are coming through,” Urwiler said. “We are continuing with the hope and desire that this year will be another record-breaking year and that the show will be well received.”
In years past, Mooseheart has had between 90 and 100 light displays set up along a 1.8-mile route on the campus. This year, organizers decided to move and expand it a bit, with the lights show stretching between 2.2-2.3 miles of the campus. As of press time, there were at least 54 light display areas planned. Often, multiple displays are located in each area.
“There are 54 locations, and within those locations there are several different lights,” Urwiler said.
Take, for instance, the area dubbed “Dinoland,” where multiple dinosaurs are aglow.
A variety of seasonal light displays are located throughout the route, along with non-holiday themed areas. Among the displays is a Chicago Bears helmet — and a Green Bay Packers one, too.
“We do change out about a third of our lights each year and bring in new fresh displays to liven up the show itself,” Urwiler said.
New this year is the addition of a live nativity on select nights, including Dec. 7, 14, 21-24.
“On those nights we’re going to also have a live nativity scene within the route itself,” Urwiler said. “We’re looking forward to adding that, just to see if that adds to the show and people’s interest.”
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A popular feature returning this year are the Santa Nights. On six days — Dec. 9-10 and 15-17 — guests are invited to visit with Santa Claus after touring the lights display.
“After the show we go to our field house and we have free hot chocolate, coffee, cookies and water. (There’s) bounce houses, craft tables, face painting, dancing,” Urwiler said. “And everybody gets a chance to see Santa. All you have to do is bring your camera.”
The entire Holiday Lights event is run by volunteers — including designing and setting up all of the displays.
“It is a major feat for us. We do it all ourselves. We put up all the displays, run our own electricity. We’ve already started setting up,” Urwiler said in early October. “It takes a while for us to get what we need done.”
Aurora resident Hoskins is among those who volunteer each year. Along with working at the front gate to greet visitors and collect the admission fee, the Mooseheart teacher also works to spread the word about Holiday Lights.
“I always try to hang the poster at the library and tell all my friends to drive through the lights. Once people hear about it, it’s easy to convince them to go because it’s something fun. And it’s festive for the holidays but also inexpensive. And people want to support Mooseheart,” she said. “It’s easy to spread the word, to me. But still there’s people who don’t know about it if they don’t hear from a friend like me, or if they don’t see the signs. I still think it’s an opportunity people are missing out on if they haven’t heard about it yet.”
Each year she brings her family to drive through the campus to take in the sights. Her children, who are now 9 and 12, have been coming since it first started.
“They just love seeing the different displays and the different themes. The sports and different characters and animals. They really like the one where it’s set to music,” Hoskins said. “There’s a display which tells you what station to turn your radio to, and the lights kind of go to the music. We really enjoy that one.”
The Holiday Lights display is open every day — rain, snow or shine.
“We love a little bit of snow. We don’t like a lot of snow, but we like a little bit of snow,” Urwiler said. “It adds a little bit to the show when the snow is on the ground and the reflection of the lights are on the snow. The campus is very pretty.”
To travel the entire Holiday Lights route takes between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on how much traffic there is and the level of interest in the various displays. It’s not uncommon for some cars to stop so its passengers can take photos from the safety of their vehicles.
“I anticipate people will want to stop at the nativity scene. Some people like to go through (the route) twice,” Urwiler said. “We’ve seen people come in convertibles and people come in their Jeeps with no top on it and their all hanging out going through the Tunnel of Lights.”
Urwiler said a lot of those who come see the Holiday Lights have become familiar faces, returning year after year.
“When you talk to them they just want to support Mooseheart. It definitely makes us smile and makes us proud of what we’re doing and makes us feel that we’re contributing to our local area here in the Fox Valley area,” he said.
Kathy Cichon is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
Holiday Lights at Mooseheart
When: Nov. 24-Dec. 31
Where: Mooseheart Child City & School, Inc., Mooseheart (entrance located on IL Route 31, two miles north of I-88)
Tickets: $10 per car
Information: 630-906-3601; www.mooseheart.org