Local Volunteers Bring Holiday Tradition to Life
Every year, thousands of Indianapolis residents make their way to Monument Circle to kick off the holiday season with the annual lighting ceremony at the Downtown Indy Alliance Circle of Lights. Families flock to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument to see the circle come alive with sparkling lights, an event always held the Friday after Thanksgiving. But most people don’t realize the heroic prep work it takes to light up the circle every November. Lucky for the city, IBEW Local 481 ensures the circle will stay safely lit until after the new year.
The IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Chapter 481 is the local chapter operating out of Central Indiana. For the 63rd year in a row, retirees and other chapter members will do the prep work and installation for the Circle of Lights, making sure Indianapolis will bear witness to a safe and bright lighting ceremony.
Starting in October, members of IBEW Chapter 481 begin prepping the 52 strings of lights that adorn the monument, ensuring that all 4,784 lights are working and properly connected to their cables. The lights themselves mark the holidays, but the colors each honor a different branch of the military: green for the Army, clear for the Air Force, blue for the Navy, red for the Marines, and yellow for the Coast Guard.
All volunteers hang the lights on a fall Saturday morning in November, many with families in tow, in preparation for the lighting ceremony. This year’s installation took place on Saturday, Nov. 15, with more than 200 volunteers in attendance.
“It’s really become a family tradition for these volunteers,” says Krista VanMatre, marketing communications specialist with IBEW Chapter 481. “You might see a retiree with his journeyman son, accompanied by his family. The smaller kids get to squeeze into the top of the monument for a rare view of the city and to see the lights being strung on Saturday morning.”
Last year, one family was represented by four generations, all volunteering their time to hang the holiday lights. It’s a tradition that many chapter members start and pass down in their families.
Not only a holiday tradition, many journeymen will begin and end their careers with this event. In addition to retirees and journeymen, a large group of apprentices shows up to offer their support during installation and teardown.
“We always have a large group of apprentices that come out,” VanMatre says. “It’s truly impressive to see them walk toward the circle as a single group. There is something special about them starting their journey with this tradition.”
The IBEW Chapter 481’s support helps ensure proper installation of the lights. Volunteers check the airline cable, make sure all anchors are properly secured at the top and bottom, and wire everything correctly to withstand wind and the elements.
Everyone is encouraged to join the Downtown Indy Alliance Circle of Lights ceremony on Nov. 28 from 5-8 p.m. It is a free, family-friendly event. Come see the center of the city transform into a giant Christmas tree.
Attendees can expect live music from selected headliners, festive food options, the arrival of Santa around 6:50 p.m., and a special guest to “flip the switch” on the massive Christmas tree. The winner will be a child chosen from the AES Indiana coloring contest.
If you want to mark the launch of the holiday season, make your way downtown on Nov. 28. To learn more, visit downtownindy.org/events/circle-of-lights.
