The winter nights are long and dark, but you can put a little light back into your life – and the lives of your neighbors – by holding a candlelight event! These popular events involve setting up candles or electric luminaries along pre-arranged pathways so that hikers or skiiers can traverse a park or trail by candlelight. Food and drink are sometimes also provided, and many Friends Groups who hold these events also take the opportunity to set up an informational booth for interested members of the public to learn more about their group.
We interviewed some of our Friends Group Partners to learn their recommendations for holding a successful candlelight event. Download the primer linked below to learn more about recommended supplies, factors to take into consideration when selecting a location, and step-by-step instructions for making your candlelight event as fun and well-attended as possible.
Minnesota is famous for its winters. For at least four months of the year, we endure short, chilly days and long, snowy nights. But this doesn’t have to mean the end of our outdoor adventures, and a candlelight event can be a way for your Friends Group to show even the most winter-averse resident that there is still fun to be had after the snow starts falling.
With thanks to the Lake Louise State Park Association, the Friends of Lake Maria State Park, the Friends of Minneopa State Park, and the Friends of Maplewood State Park. Photo credit goes to the Friends of Wild River.