Celebrate Laconia's Lights Festival aims to set downtown a-twinkle this holiday season

LACONIA — Featuring the annual holiday parade, a “Santa Shuffle” 5K, a decoration competition, an outdoor “food court” and more, Celebrate Laconia’s 2023 Lights Festival will dazzle downtown and officially launch the winter holiday season.

As the organizer, Celebrate Laconia has aimed to up its own ante in each of the last few years, said board member Jaylene Bengston. 

“We’re really trying to continue what we’ve been doing and make it better and better each time,” she said, praising the efforts of lead organizer Daryl Dawson.

The theme of the parade and the vision behind organizing it, Dawson said, is for people young and old, businesses, and the city more broadly to let their holiday spirit shine.

A longtime favorite, the holiday parade will make its return, and organizers are on the hunt for bands, businesses and other organizations to join. Pedestrians are invited to join this year, according to Bengston, and will continue a blossoming tradition with its third annual float contest.

The festival on Saturday, Nov. 25, will begin at 10 a.m. with the Santa Shuffle 5K run/walk, a costume-encouraged event sponsored by the Downtown Gym and continue with the “food court” on Canal Street starting at noon. The historic holiday parade will take place at 5 pm.

That Saturday will also kickstart two long-form events: it will be the opening day of judging for the festival’s holiday decoration contest, which lasts through Friday, Dec. 15, and will be the debut of the Holiday Walk in Rotary Park, where local businesses and groups can sponsor and decorate their own small tree, which lasts until Saturday, Dec. 30. 

Dawson highlighted the tree display as a personal favorite. Inspired by the jack-o-lanterns of the NH Pumpkin Festival, more than 100 Christmas trees will appear and can be sponsored in Rotary Park. They will be lit up all at once following the parade.

Most of the festivities are set for the Saturday following Thanksgiving. In addition to the scheduled activities, downtown businesses will open their doors with their own holiday plans, something Bengston said she’s looking forward to in particular. 

Adding to the holiday decorations and lights, Celebrate Laconia will have new winter-themed banners adorning downtown. Canal Street, hosting the food truck “court,” will also have its permanent over-street twinkle-light display in full effect. The display came from a partnership between Celebrate Laconia and the city. 

Organizers are still looking for parade participants, tree sponsors, decoration contestants and overall volunteers. For more information, visit celebratelaconia.org.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the opening date of the festival, Nov. 25.

•••

The Sunshine Effect is a new series in The Laconia Daily Sun highlighting the people and organizations working to improve our communities through volunteering and fundraising. We believe that telling their stories will encourage others to support their work, and launch new charitable efforts of their own. Have a suggestion for someone making a difference we should feature? Share it with us at laconiadailysun.com/sunshineeffecttip.