For Immediate Release: November 22, 2023
Media Contact: Max Wing | max@downtownindy.org
The Downtown Indy, Inc. Circle of Lights® presented by IBEW 481 illuminates holiday cheer on Monument Circle for 61st anniversary
Tens of thousands anticipated Downtown on Friday, Nov. 24 for time-honored tradition
The Downtown Indy, Inc. Circle of Lights® presented by IBEW Local 481 – Indy's most time-honored holiday tradition – returns this Friday, Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving. The annual celebration on Monument Circle will feature a festive lighting ceremony and on-site activations in unison with a live show starting ONE HOUR EARLIER this year at 6 p.m. The winner of the AES Indiana Coloring Contest will help “flip the switch” alongside Santa just after 6:50 p.m., marking the start of the holiday season. Circle of Lights® will also feature pre-event festivities starting at 5 p.m., an on-stage pre-show at 5:30 p.m., and post-lighting activations running from 7-8 p.m.
With ongoing construction on the north steps of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, the event performance stage will remain on the south side of Monument Circle – facing in. Our city’s greatest musical acts, chosen from the Tom Wood Talent Search in late October, including Ephraim Owens from The Voice, will contribute to Downtown’s holiday vibrancy. Additionally, singing trio MOIPEI – an act in this year’s AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration – and Indiana’s own country singer-songwriter Clayton Anderson will deliver unforgettable holiday-themed performances. To round out the night, the lighting of the Monument will be followed by the NBA All-Star 2024 fireworks finale to paint the sky with vibrant colors.
The electrical workers and volunteers of IBEW Local 481 hold their commitment to care and craftsmanship every holiday season by decorating the Soldiers & Sailors Monument with 52 garland strands and 4,784 multi-colored lights, strung from the top of the Monument to its base. The Monument will be surrounded by 26 larger-than-life toy soldiers and sailors and 26 peppermint sticks. “We are thrilled to be the presenting partner of Circle of Lights again,” said IBEW Local 481 Business Manager Jeff Wheeler.
Monument Circle will also incorporate lighting exhibits, video projections, and holiday music every evening as part of the multi-million dollar Shining A Light on Arts and Culture program. A diverse array of video presentations will highlight the season’s religious and secular holiday celebrations, along with the nightly “Signature Salute” honoring Indiana military veterans. These immersive video-mapped displays transform Monument Circle into a captivating snow globe visitors can explore and get lost in.
"There is no better way to usher in the holiday season than with the 61st Circle of Lights presented by IBEW Local 481. Downtown is the heart of our city, home to so many of our community's most iconic moments and treasured holiday traditions,” said DII President & CEO Taylor Schaffer. “On Friday, tens of thousands of Central Indiana residents will join us to light up Monument Circle, but we hope that's just the start. From ice skating at Bicentennial Unity Plaza to the expanded Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt, and countless other events, cultural experiences, dining options, and retail destinations, Downtown is the place to make new memories and celebrate the season!"
Other sponsors beyond those already mentioned include WTHR, Radio One, Indiana War Memorials Commission, Hoosier Lottery, Indianapolis Colts, Christ Church Cathedral, MCL Restaurant & Bakery, Indiana Education Savings Authority, Broadway In Indianapolis, Sun King Brewing, and Tinker Coffee Co.
Sightseers will be able to take in this brilliant spectacle throughout the holiday season, lit until Jan. 12. Circle of Lights® is currently a nominee for “Best Public Holiday Lights Display” in the 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting is open now and ends on Nov. 29. The public can submit one vote each day HERE.
NOTE: The south spoke entrance to the Circle at Washington and Meridian streets will be CLOSED (back-stage/credentialed area). All attendees can enter the Circle from East and West Market Streets, as well as the north spoke entrance at Meridian and Ohio Streets. Those with physical disabilities can be dropped off on the corner of West Market and Illinois Streets and will be ushered to the ADA-accessible viewing area. Please reference this year’s event map HERE.
TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE:
- Multiple closures are in place for The Downtown Indy, Inc. Circle of Lights® presented by IBEW 481 on Nov. 24 from 6:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
- Total closure of all four spokes of Monument Circle.
- Total closure of Meridian Street between Ohio Street and Washington Street
- Total closure of Market Street between Pennsylvania Street and Illinois Street.
For more information about Circle of Lights®, visit: https://downtownindy.org/events/circle-of-lights
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About Downtown Indy, Inc. and Circle of Lights®
Circle of Lights® is an official program of Downtown Indy, Inc. which focuses on development, management, activation, and marketing to advance Downtown as a great place to live, learn, work, and play. We’re the People Behind the Place. Visit https://downtownindy.org/ for more information.
About IBEW Local 481
As the presenting partner of Circle of Lights®, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 481 represents more than 3,000 electrical workers. IBEW Local 481 provides the expertise, highly trained workforce, safety, and dedication to help build many of Central Indiana’s premier education, health care, utility, and logistics projects. This same expertise is offered with hundreds of volunteer hours in support of this annual holiday experience with the Circle of Lights®. Visit www.ibew481.org for more information.