The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is an annual event celebrated in Chicago on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. An estimated one million lights on 200 trees[1] brighten the city's Michigan Avenue, also known as the Magnificent Mile. The festival is hosted by The Magnificent Mile Association, formerly the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association, [2] and is the third largest parade in the country, according to the chair of the festival.[3]
The festival of lights traces its early beginnings in 1949 when members from The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association put up a 50-foot tall Christmas tree in Water Tower Park,[4] which was adorned with 1,500 lights and topped by a six-foot high star. Ten years later, the Saks Fifth Avenue store installed Italian white lights on the branches of the elm trees in front of the store in place of their traditional holiday decorations. Eventually, neighboring stores followed suit with their own lighting decorations, and the trend soon became a popular holiday tradition in the city of Chicago. Well-known shops such as Tiffany, Burberry, Gucci, Armani, and other luxury stores along Michigan Avenue have joined the annual festivities.[5] In 1992, Walt Disney, the company, officially became part of the Lights Festival, turning the event into a major tourist attraction.[6] While other celebrities Betty Grable have hosted the events, Disney's Mickey Mouse has acted as master of ceremonies in recent years.
In 2011, the citizens of Chicago celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Celebrations included performances by multi-Grammy award winner Mary Mary, American Idol finalists Haley Reinhart and Casey Abrams, and teen actress and singer China Anne McClain, as well as various Disney Junior and Radio Disney artists such as Jake and the Never Land Pirate Band, N.B.T. artist Shealeigh from Chicago, and Disney Music Group artist Nathan Pacheco.[11] The anniversary, which was watched by one million spectators, was also highlighted by a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus and a Christmas display in Chicago's Christkindlmarket.[12]
In 2016, The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival celebrated its 25th anniversary.
A fireworks display caps off the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, which also signals the start of the holiday shopping season on Michigan Avenue.[13]
Referencesedit
^“Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.” 2014-11-13 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^Greater North Michigan Avenue Association 2014-02-08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 14 June 2013
^Horng, Eric; Kirsch, Jesse (November 22, 2019). "Chicago lights Christmas tree in Millennium Park". WLS-TV. from the original on November 23, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
^Jacobs, Jody. “Lights Parade Action.” 2013-12-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^“2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival part 1.” 2013-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^Robinson, Delores. “Magnificent Mile Lights Festival to Impact Traffic on Saturday.” 2013-05-30 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^Hoffman, Heywood. “Big crowds attend 2012 lights festival.” 2013-01-22 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^Jacobs, Jody. “Lights Parade Action.” 2013-12-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^“2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival part 1.” 2013-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^“2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival part 1.” 2013-05-23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^Jacobs, Jody. “Lights Parade Action.” 2013-12-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013
^“Magnificent Mile Lights Festival makes a magical mile.” Retrieved 8 August 2013
External linksedit
Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Official Website
Greater North Michigan Avenue Association
April 11, 2024
magnificent, mile, lights, festival, also, lights, festivalthe, annual, event, celebrated, chicago, saturday, before, thanksgiving, estimated, million, lights, trees, brighten, city, michigan, avenue, also, known, magnificent, mile, festival, hosted, magnifice. See also Lights FestivalThe Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is an annual event celebrated in Chicago on the Saturday before Thanksgiving An estimated one million lights on 200 trees 1 brighten the city s Michigan Avenue also known as the Magnificent Mile The festival is hosted by The Magnificent Mile Association formerly the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association 2 and is the third largest parade in the country according to the chair of the festival 3 Contents 1 History 2 Tree Lighting Parade 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe festival of lights traces its early beginnings in 1949 when members from The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association put up a 50 foot tall Christmas tree in Water Tower Park 4 which was adorned with 1 500 lights and topped by a six foot high star Ten years later the Saks Fifth Avenue store installed Italian white lights on the branches of the elm trees in front of the store in place of their traditional holiday decorations Eventually neighboring stores followed suit with their own lighting decorations and the trend soon became a popular holiday tradition in the city of Chicago Well known shops such as Tiffany Burberry Gucci Armani and other luxury stores along Michigan Avenue have joined the annual festivities 5 In 1992 Walt Disney the company officially became part of the Lights Festival turning the event into a major tourist attraction 6 While other celebrities Betty Grable have hosted the events Disney s Mickey Mouse has acted as master of ceremonies in recent years 2020 saw this festival run behind closed doors due to conditions caused by the COVID 19 pandemic Tree Lighting Parade editAside from the numerous lights and decorations that line up the Magnificent Mile the Lights Festival also features a colorful parade from Oak Street on the North to Wacker Drive the Chicago River on the South en route to the lighting of the city s Christmas tree 7 The parade showcases 40 floats with huge helium filled balloons and is led by well known Christmas characters such as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman 8 Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from Disney and Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy of the Muppets have also been regular fixtures 9 Lively music for the festivities is provided by marching bands from different troupes such as the Crystal Lake Strikers Drum Line the Loyola Academy High School Band the Proviso East High School Band and the Morton West High School Band 10 In 2011 the citizens of Chicago celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Celebrations included performances by multi Grammy award winner Mary Mary American Idol finalists Haley Reinhart and Casey Abrams and teen actress and singer China Anne McClain as well as various Disney Junior and Radio Disney artists such as Jake and the Never Land Pirate Band N B T artist Shealeigh from Chicago and Disney Music Group artist Nathan Pacheco 11 The anniversary which was watched by one million spectators was also highlighted by a visit from Santa and Mrs Claus and a Christmas display in Chicago s Christkindlmarket 12 In 2016 The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival celebrated its 25th anniversary A fireworks display caps off the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival which also signals the start of the holiday shopping season on Michigan Avenue 13 References edit Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Archived 2014 11 13 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 Greater North Michigan Avenue Association Archived 2014 02 08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 14 June 2013 Horng Eric Kirsch Jesse November 22 2019 Chicago lights Christmas tree in Millennium Park WLS TV Archived from the original on November 23 2019 Retrieved November 25 2019 Farrar Ellen 2008 The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978 0 7385 6184 4 Jacobs Jody Lights Parade Action Archived 2013 12 02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival part 1 Archived 2013 05 23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 Robinson Delores Magnificent Mile Lights Festival to Impact Traffic on Saturday Archived 2013 05 30 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 Hoffman Heywood Big crowds attend 2012 lights festival Archived 2013 01 22 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 Jacobs Jody Lights Parade Action Archived 2013 12 02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival part 1 Archived 2013 05 23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 2011 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival part 1 Archived 2013 05 23 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 Jacobs Jody Lights Parade Action Archived 2013 12 02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 August 2013 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival makes a magical mile Retrieved 8 August 2013External links editMagnificent Mile Lights Festival Official Website Greater North Michigan Avenue Association Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Magnificent Mile Lights Festival amp oldid 1121933461, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
