(PHOTOS) Christmas season commences at Festival of 50,000 Lights

CASPER, Wyo. — ‘Twas the month before Christmas, and all through the park, more than 50K colors lit up the dark.

There were yellows and purples; reds, greens and blues. Pink ones, and gold ones with silver-tipped hues.

The community came with their children in tow, to see the lights, cameras, actions of this annual show.

City leaders and legends served hot cocoa with love; first responders took photos from their perch high above.

Something special was brewing; magic was felt on that night;

At this Christmas tradition, this festival of lights.

Last Friday night officially began the holiday season in Casper as hundreds of community members gathered to see thousands of lights. The Festival of 50,000 Lights, as it’s come to be known, serves as the annual tree lighting ceremony of the Healing Park on Conwell, also known as Conwell Park.

For years, the tree lighting ceremony has served as the unofficial prelude to the Christmas season, and this year was no different. Taking place the week before Thanksgiving, it featured all of the traditional holiday hallmarks — Christmas lights, carols, cookies, cocoa and, most importantly, camaraderie.

There were almost as many smiles as lights on that night, with countless Casperites coming out to kick off their Kris Kringle countdown.

Casper’s city councilors were also on hand, serving up hot cocoa to citizens with cold hands. There were several different elaborate setups strewn throughout the park, including a nativity scene, Santa and his reindeer and more. Dozens of people took advantage of the various photo opportunities, with strangers offering to take their neighbors’ cameras to snap a picture before trading places in front of the glowing set pieces.

People laughed. People smiled. They gasped and cheered when the lights came to life, illuminating the park in the annual sights and sounds of the Christmas season.

The park will stay lit throughout the holiday season, so if community members were unable to go to the actual tree lighting, they can still go for a walk in a winter wonderland every night until at least January.

Photos from the Festival of 50,000 Lights can be seen below: