Lightworks in Mattoon to brighten up holidays

The 20th annual Lightworks holiday light show will begin Friday at Peterson Park in Mattoon and will run until Dec. 25.

Lightworks features numerous light displays that viewers can enjoy as they drive along the road winding through Peterson Park, located at 500 Broadway Ave. in Mattoon.

Angelia Burgett, tourism director of Mattoon, said about 15,000 cars visit Lightworks each year.

“It’s a positive part of the holiday,” Burgett said. “We’re very proud

of it.”

While most displays are Christmas related, others are patriotic or educational, Burgett said.

Burgett said there will be five new displays this year.

She said her favorite display is a 100-foot long metal archway covered in lights. She said the archway was made by a local welder and is an icon of the park.

The first four Friday nights in December, local churches will sponsor a live nativity scene, Burgett said.

Melissa Hull, a resident of Mattoon, said she has visited Lightworks nearly every year since she was in kindergarten.

“It’s a part of my childhood that I like to revisit every holiday season,” Hull said as her children ran along the playground in Peterson Park.

Hull says that her favorite display is one of a reindeer in an outhouse. This display was added to

Lightworks last year and was a comical hit, said Burgett.

Hull plans on visiting Lightworks again this year and bringing her children, Anthony, 7, and Ashley, 5.

Burgett said viewers of Lightworks must be in a vehicle to go along the display road due to safety concerns.

However, the rest of the park is still open to the public as normal, she said.

Lightworks is open 5-9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Admission is free, though donations are welcome, Burgett said. All donations fund next year’s

Lightworks.

Tim Deters can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].