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INTRO

The

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AT THE  BLUE EARTH PLAZA

MANHATTAN, KANSAS

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Who's ready for the holidays?

The 12th Annual Festival of Lights is going to be bigger & better than ever before! We hope Manhattan is ready for an amazing holiday season... because it's just around the corner!

12th Annual Lighting Ceremony

Friday, November 29th, 2024

7PM Blue Earth Plaza

The countdown is ON!

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*Thanks again to our amazing 2023 Sponsors*

You make it ALL possible!

REVIEWS

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

"The Festival of Lights has become our family's favorite tradition. Every year just after Thanksgiving, we meet at the tree and celebrate the season of giving."

 

—  Patti C., MHK Local

ABOUT US

THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IS BROUGHT

TO YOU BY LOCAL BUSINESSES 

FOR THE GREATER MANHATTAN COMMUNITY

Whoville, Inc. is a group of local Manhattan business owners and community leaders who love to give back. They formed a not-for-profit collective in order to create the Festival of Lights.

 

Their mission is to bring our community closer together by providing curated events and magical displays that are open to the public throughout the holidays. Since it began in 2013 the Festival of Lights has been embraced by the Manhattan community and has become a place to create family traditions and lifetime memories.  The Festival of Lights is fully funded annually by generous local individuals and businesses.  

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IT ALL STARTED WITH AN IDEA...

It was springtime in 2013, tulips blossoming, trees swaying in the wind...and the foundation at the south end of Manhattan freshly settled. Poyntz Avenue was shaping up with new businesses opening and just beyond, the town had expanded to include a diverse array of new opportunities for our community: The Discovery Center, Hilton Garden Inn, Blue Earth Place, Candlewood Suites and Fairfield Inn anchored the newly named Blue Earth Plaza, and in 2014 were followed by Radina’s Bakehouse, CivicPlus and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.

It was longtime local businessman, Colin Noble, who first had the vision to inaugurate the area with a grand holiday tree in Blue Earth Plaza. He called upon Brad Everett & Gwyn Riffel to expand the idea, wherein Wade Radina joined, ultimately forming Whoville, Inc. It was this group of leaders, together with Ward Morgan and June Schnittker of Master Landscape, Inc. who caused a simple idea of a holiday tree to expand into Manhattan's Festival of Lights! And so the overarching goal in one short year has grown into a commitment by this group and many more to hold an annual event at the beginning of the holiday season to bring our community together in celebration.

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DONATE

Be part of something spectacular!

Our #MHKTraditions are not possible without the help and support from local elves like yourself. Help us continue our traditions and make our 12th year the best one yet!

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5
GOLDEN RINGS
$10,000+
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2023

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Jerry & Belinda Snyder

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4
Calling Birds
$5,000+

Kansas Fencing, Inc.
Master landscape, inc.
Joann goldstein family
Fair
field Inn

Heineken Electric
kansas pro sound
steel & pipe supply company
holiday display services
FOLEY EQUIPMENT

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3
french hens
$2,500+

WIBW

Community First National BanK

kohlmeier orthodontics

Midwest Concrete Materials

palmer law group

thomas outdoor signs & graphics

wtc

radina's bakehouse

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bourbon & baker

Aj's ny pizzeria

bayer construction

amo's whoville express

holiday inn at the campus

Central National Bank

Manhattan Parks & Recreation Dept

the city of manhattan

wynn & Mary ann butler

civicplus

little apple post

JS Sign & Awning

KS STATEBANK

m home staging

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

SITEBOX STORAGE

2
turtle doves
$1,000+
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Santa's
helpers
$999 & under

bhs construction

seaton law firm

manhattan wrecker service

manhattan fire department

riley county police department
commerce bank

americorps

mark & ann knackendoffel

THE TRUST COMPANY

viktoria pottroff

pepsi of manhattan

jayson & libby cyr

joey athon

charlie & pat hughes

gary & Elaine Gordon

AGGIEVILLE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

briggsauto.com

hyvee

Blue skies brass quintet

robert & tracey debruyn

82nd brigade battalion group

ksu military affairs

charlson and wilson abstractors

lee & jackie hartman borck

the fridge

landmark national bank

CONTACT

Thank you all for your generous support!

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