Volunteers Create Displays for Festival Of Lights
 When they bring down the curtain on the Festival of Lights this year, hundreds of volunteers can again step forward and take a bow for creating what has become a new Toledo tradition. For the past several years, volunteer designers and construction trade workers have performed an outstanding job in bringing this holiday display to the general public.

Among those who can take an extra curtain call are members of SSOE Studios and the Northwest Ohio Building Trades Affiliated Locals.
Under the guidance and direction of a 20 member design team from SSOE, one of the nation’s leading architectural and engineering firms, union apprentices started a tradition last year of building new displays for the park. Apprentices from the ironworkers, carpenters, painters, and electricians unions constructed two new units for last year’s displays.

 

 Working together, they designed and built the spectacular 45 foot lighted star, which by the time it was mounted on the concrete base, towered 58 feet over the park. The display is the equivalent of a three story building and spans a width of 56 feet. A magnificent 35-foot entry arch was another new display that served as a focal point at the Miami Street entrance.

A total of 15 trades have been involved in the construction process. The ironworkers from Local 55 along with the painters provided 18 men and women who racked up an impressive 250 hours of total time.

"The displays came together much better than we anticipated," explained C. Kaye Brazier, training coordinator for Ironworkers Local 55. "Both our apprentices and journeymen took a great sense of pride in this accomplishment and particularly enjoy taking their families through the display to show them what they helped to create. It was a win/win situation for everyone, and we’re looking forward to participating next year."

"The star was a major accomplishment," Brazier said. "The ironworkers would build a portion of it in the shop, then the painters would come in and put the finishing touch on that portion. We continued this process until the entire assembly was completed."

The story doesn’t end this year. Act Two will be front and center in the coming years. Already design teams from SSOE Studios and the all-volunteer members of the Northwest Ohio Building Trades Affiliated Locals are planning ahead. A number of new displays are expected in coming years to be built as a joint venture of apprentices from the various trades. "We haven’t seen all the designs yet," Brazier noted, "but we anticipate another successful venture with the SSOE team."

Under the leadership of Phil Couture, fiber optics were added to the SS. Willis B. Boyer display. Couture and fellow volunteers have spent months planning and preparing for the spectacular presentation.

The Food Town International Festival of Lights is coordinated by members of the International Park Advisory Board of Greater Toledo. Volunteers are always welcome. 
Please call (419) 936-3070 for additional information.