Local News

Smaller ceremony launches Rotary Lights for holiday season

Published

6 years ago

November 23, 2018

Brad Williams

A little rain doesn’t stop them.

Neither does a big renovation project at the Riverside Park bandstand.

The organizers of Rotary Lights in La Crosse had to do a little adjusting to construction work for the yearly ceremony to switch on the holiday lights along the riverfront.

Since they couldn’t use the bandstand for the festival kickoff this year, Rotary crews set up a small stage near the Mississippi where Santa Claus threw a big switch to set off fireworks on Pettibone Island.

Millions of Christmas lights throughout the park, and on special decorated trees representing community groups, will be displayed every night through New Year’s Eve.

This is the 24th year for La Crosse’s Rotary Lights.

Related Topics:fireworks rotary lights Santa Claus

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.