ONTARIO — Christmas Day is past, but the Festival of Lights at Marshall Park will run through Jan. 1, according to its creator, Gary Levelius.
The show features flashing figurines of penguins and skaters and hand-painted wood cut-outs of snowmen, Christmas trees and more. Nearly 10,000 light bulbs are sequenced to glimmer in time with music played on 107.1 FM.
It begins each evening at 5:30 runs until 10.
It’s the third year that Levelius and his wife, Lynn, have set up the display in Marshall Park. Lynn creates the whimsical wood characters — cutting, painting, priming and sealing each one by hand.
Levelius selects the lights to use and programs the sequences into a custom computer system.
“I’ve been into computers since way before they became mainstream,” he said. “I go back probably around 1976 with my first computer. That was back when they were just a play-toy for nerds and geeks.”
While sequencing the songs is an outlet for his longtime passion, it’s also time-consuming work. Each song takes between 15 and 30 hours to program, depending on its complexity.
The couple does it all for free.
“It’s a labor of love. It’s a way to give something back to the community,” Levelius said. “And we enjoy doing it. It gives us something to do during the year.”
Levelius became inspired to create light shows after seeing a viral video in 2005 of a home in Mason, Ohio. In it, lights flicker to the beat of “Wizards in Winter” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
“I saw that and I said, ‘I can do this,'” he said.
He and Lynn put together their first light show two years later, when they began setting up a display next to the antique barn at the fairgrounds.
After seven years there, the fairgrounds show closed, so the couple approached Ontario city officials about installing the display in Marshall Park.
“We are very appreciate of Gary and Lynn Levelius. They spend countless hours setting up and maintaining the display. They don’t ask for anything in return, they do it out of the kindness of their hearts,” said Mayor Randy Hutchinson.
“I can’t thank them enough for putting up the display each year for everyone to enjoy,” the mayor said.
Although they may not receive any money for organizing the show, the couple says they get their payment in a unique currency — smiles.
“When we see parents laughing, kids laughing and enjoying the show, that’s our payment,” said Gary.
The Holman family is a perfect example.
“We’re out here almost daily,” said Adam Holman, sitting in his car with his two sons, 5-year-old Archer and 2-year-old Beckett.
Ever fascinated by the splendor of the lights, Archer and Beckett bounced and bopped their heads to the music, almost as if they’re at the mosh pit of a rock concert.
Holman said he’s grateful for the Levelius’ generosity.
“It’s honestly amazing … Christmas spirit at its finest right here,” he said.
