12/11/2025
Bill Bly is the coordinator of the Shelbyville Festival of Lights and has worked as a volunteer for the festival for the last 21 years. The first year he was a volunteer, he worked under the direction of coordinator, Perk Wilson. The following year, he became the coordinator himself. Bill has experience as an electrician which has helped the festival volunteers tremendously. Over the years others with electrical experience have joined the group, making for a good working team.
Bill appreciates the volunteers that help him every year. Bob Thomas and Gail Depew have been volunteering by painting, repairing, setting up displays, and wiring lights for several years. Newer volunteers like Paul Canaday, Kevin Burk, and Barbara and Joe Waymire also spend many hours setting up displays before the Festival of Lights opens the Friday before Thanksgiving every year. Many people work behind the scenes. Festival of Lights Committee members include Nathan Nichols (Committee leader), Christa Nichols, Poppet Maulding, Kim and Todd Shelmadine, Mary Beth Massey, Brenda Elder, Kathy Edwards, and Jenni Lewis. Other residents help when they are able and student volunteers work a few days in the fall when the larger displays require more muscle. Additional help from community residents is always welcome.
The Festival of Lights volunteers do more than just put up lights. A typical year starts when the weather gets warmer in the Spring. The Festival of Lights workshop is located on the north side of the Forest Park Maintenance building. This is where the organization stores and works on the displays. Defective lights are removed, and the frames of displays are painted using the same color as the lights that are placed on them. Bill Bly says this makes the lights seem like they are shining even brighter.
Another job taken on by the Festival of Lights volunteers is rebuilding old displays that need repair or displays donated by groups or communities that no longer need them. One year they received 25 displays that needed repair. Through spring, summer, and fall, volunteers work on repurposing the displays for the festival here, repairing a few each year.
All incandescent lights were removed a few summers ago and were exchanged for LED lights. The LED lights are brighter, cooler, and take less electrical power to operate. There are hundreds of thousands of lights used so it was a long process.
Mr. Bly says there are over 600 displays in the park this year. When he started 21 years ago, there were only about 300 displays. The displays take a lot of time to set up. The Festival of Lights volunteers need to be considerate of the events that are happening at the park and how the park maintenance workers need to mow. The volunteers start by working on the displays that go on the stone fence. After football and soccer are over, they can place the displays near the electricity pedestals. The rush is then on to get the displays up by two weeks before opening night. Once that is done, the displays must be hooked to the electricity and any wiring that needs to be replaced or repaired must be done.
The Shelbyville Festival of Lights also sponsors the Light the Town contest for those that love to decorate their homes. Cash prizes and trophies can be won by entrants. Entrants must have their applications sent to the Festival of Lights by early December and the judging is done, by a special community group, in mid-December. Rules for the contest is always posted on the Shelbyville Festival of Lights – Illinois page.
During the Walk-through night, the Thursday before opening night, obvious light outages and additional repairs will be addressed. Visitors enjoy the Walk-through night because it gives them a different perspective than the drive-through does. The park is blocked off to automobile traffic during the walk-through night.
Opening night is usually the big night for people to celebrate the festival. Over the years, Santa is there to see the children and to receive their “Letters to Santa”. Photo ops with Santa are always enjoyed by the parents and children who come. Santa really enjoys that part of the event! Each letter is read by Santa, and a response is published to the Shelbyville Festival of Lights-Illinois page. During the Opening Night, there is also special music provided by Shelbyville band, chorus, and other students who play ukelele. Local musicians are scheduled for additional times during drive through hours. Cookies, food, and drink provided by food trucks or local businesses are there in case visitors are hungry.
The Shelbyville Festival of Lights works in partnership with the Shelbyville Festival of Trees, which is held at the historic Chautauqua building in Forest Park, Shelbyville. Decorated trees are provided by community businesses, churches, and organizations.
Since December 2022, Poppet Maulding and a few of her helpers have invited Shelbyville businesses and organizations to display a LED lit Christmas tree that represents their group. The first year there were over 30 trees that displayed their tree. The trees scheduled to be at the festival adds so much fun and pleasure for the visitors that come from all over Illinois, the United States, and some that come from out of the country!
Another part of Festival of lights is scheduling volunteers for the donation booth that is found at the park exit. Many individuals, organizations, and businesspeople help by collecting donations given by visitors. Donations collected help to fund the Festival of Lights and its events every year.
The Festival of Lights also collects donations for the advertising signs that are displayed in the park for the 6 weeks that the festival is operating. A $75 donation provides a sign that will be seen by thousands of people that visit the lights every year. It is really a worthwhile investment!
When the weather cooperates, all displays must be removed from the park and stored in the maintenance building again. Sometimes it takes a while, but Forest Park needs to be ready by the time the weather allows visitors to start enjoying all that the park has to offer.
The Twinkle Light Tour was established in 2024 by the Shelbyville Festival of Lights - Illinois. The committee first invited a few members of nearby communities to join in the proposed central Illinois tour of light displays and events. This year, even more communities asked to join the original group. Now, the tour includes 17 communities who would like to see you and your family during the Christmas season. Check the map that has been shared by the Twinkle Lights Tour, Shelbyville Festival of Lights – Illinois, Shelbyville Festival of Trees - Illinois, and the Shelby County IL pages.
Make every Christmas a memorable one! The Shelbyville Festival of Lights hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday, 5 pm to 9 pm and Friday and Saturdays from 5 pm to 10 pm. Bob Bly, the Festival of Lights committee, and volunteers invite you to visit and wish you all a Merry Christ
