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PETER MOTT,
SPECIAL TO THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
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| As the evening begins to settle, the plaza at The Grotto begins to glow with the splendor of over half-a-million lights that decorate the lower level gardens during its annual Festival of Lights. COURTESY LARRY KIRBY, THE GROTTO |
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| The St. Stanislaus Polish Choir - one of 169 other choirs, performance artists and choral groups - performs every year at The Grotto's Festival of Lights, the largest choral festival in the country. This is the 24th year of the Festival of Lights, running now through Dec. 30. The Grotto is located at Northeast 85th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard. In addition to festival admission, Festivalgoers are asked to bring a canned or dry food item in donation for east county's SnowCap Community Charities. St. Stanislaus performs Wed., Dec. 21 at 9 p.m. COURTESY LARRY KIRBY, THE GROTTO |
“We certainly did not envision this,” the Rev. Jack Topper said recently. As The Grotto's executive director for nearly 20 years, Topper has actively overseen the festival's annual presentation. He added, “It grew over time, a step at a time, with the help and support of so many choirs, volunteers, community businesses and grants from foundations and gifts given by private individuals. In many ways it is an amazing blessing that we've been able to both sustain it and help it grow into what it is today.” Festival coordinators realized both the risk and opportunity in front of them. They quickly identified various unique characteristics that could distinguish The Grotto's festival from other area events. Early organizers understood these unique characteristics needed to be preserved and emphasized for the festival to survive and grow.
There are other unique characteristics that help The Grotto's festival stand apart from holiday events and while other area Christmas events feature the secular Santa Claus, reindeer, elves, snowmen and dancing bears, The Grotto's Festival of Lights tells the biblical story of Christ's birth. The Grotto message is the universal humanitarian message of peace on earth, joy to the world, and goodwill towards all of God's creation.
Event planners never thought or intended for it to become the largest display of lights or music. Their concept was to blend the serenity and reflection, inherently part of Christmas, with the joy and celebration it brings. To fulfill this concept there was another characteristic needed at The Grotto's festival: A host of volunteers providing welcoming warmth, of a community gathering and sharing.
The concept for the festival emerged in 1984, but took four years of planning and gathering community support to present the inaugural festival in 1988. At that time, its run was 10 nights, an acorn of an event compared to what it has become. Some nights in the first years, there was just one performance in The Grotto's chapel; some could hardly have been called concerts. However, The Grotto's leaders recognized the acorn was planted. It was never really about the event's magnificent lights and displays, but about fostering community joy. It offered the Festival of Lights in a perfect blend of mission, purpose, service and gift to our community.
It took another four years to stabilize its presentation and still another four years to grow to its present celebration format of opening the day after Thanksgiving and closing on Dec. 30.
“So many people played important parts in our festival's growth that I hesitate to even try to recognize them all because I'd surely, inadvertently, forget to mention some,” added Topper. “And besides, these individuals gave their gift of time, energy, music, and donations for a community celebration they believed in.”
Presented by over 7,000 volunteer singers and musicians, The Grotto's Festival of Lights features over 170 indoor concerts - five a night for 35 nights. Annually, nearly 1,000 volunteers help staff this event. Last year, the FOL welcomed over 50,000 visitors and organizers expect the same number or more again this year. Inclement weather does have an impact on attendance, one of the hazards of holding a winter event.
Blessed with remarkable acoustics, area choirs and choral groups love to perform in The Grotto's chapel. In addition, there are so many wonderful, heart-felt and memorable carols they love to sing. Because music is such an important part of the Christmas season celebration, The Grotto's blend of lights and music offer festival goers a unique Christmas experience. All of this set in The Grotto's wonderful gardens and plaza with its beautiful chapel architecture as a backdrop. Add winding pathways, a 110-foot angel covered cliff-side and a canopy of towering evergreen trees for a truly dramatic setting.
Yes, the festival presents challenges each year and none is more ongoing or important that filling its volunteer needs. We are blessed with overwhelming support from our region's finest school, civic, and church choirs; and volunteers seem to come out of the woodwork, but we always need more volunteers to welcome our visitors and share Christmas joy.”
Fittingly, this year's theme is Joy to the World, which is what The Grotto's Festival of Lights brings to our community. From an acorn of an idea, a mighty oak has grown, spreading the message of peace, love and hope to thousands of people in our community of friends and neighbors.
The Grotto is located at 8840 N.E. Skidmore St. The main entrance to the FOL is at Northeast Sandy Blvd and 85th Avenue. The festival is open nightly at 5:30 p.m. through Dec. 30. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for children 12 and under.
To volunteer, go to www.thegrotto.org, or email: volunteer@thegrotto.org.
Peter Mott is The Grotto's Festival of Lights Coordinator.
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