FROM BLUFFTON ICON - Bluffton’s Blaze of Lights began in the 1930s with three lighted, painted deer on the Ream family farm.

In 2017, thousands of visitors are expected on Saturday, Nov. 25, to see the lighting of some 200 folk art pieces and enjoy the village’s 31st annual Christmas festival.

The Blaze of Lights parade begins at 5 p.m., but entries assemble at 4 p.m. and viewers start to gather well in advance.

The parade has grown to some 100 units, which will proceed down Main Street from Snider Road to College Avenue. The parade marshall is Aaron Antrim of Mercy Health Life Flight in Bluffton. Parade chairman Junior Weihrach will provide narration from the Blaze stage.

Live entertainment starts at 6 p.m. at the corner of Main and Cherry Streets. Performers are:
• Jane Sycks, playing jazz trumpet;
• the Bluffton High School Show Choir led by Kara Zink; and
• Elaine Wehri, playing accordion with audience participation.

Other activities also begin after the parade: 
• Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit with children at the Bluffton Senior Center.
• Romick Railway’s trackless train will offer rides from the Senior Center.
• Horse and wagon rides by Town & Country Carriages will start near the Shannon Theatre. Wagon ride tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for children age 10 and under.

The ceremonial lighting of the Ream folk art display begins at 7 p.m. Emcee John George–dressed as a town crier–will lead the ceremony. Fairy Parkins, a friend of the Ream family, is this year’s honorary “switch hitter” and will turn on the display for the holiday season.

To keep visitors busy, warm, and well-fed, local shops, restaurants, and organizations will have Blaze specials and extended hours. The parade route and area surrounding the Ream display include plenty of things to do before, during, and after the events of the day.

The Blaze of Lights is a home-grown Christmas tradition that reflects the dedication and creativity of local residents. The Ream display now belongs to the Village of Bluffton. Members of American Legion Post 382 work with the volunteer and village crew that installs and removes the display. This year volunteers from local excavation and landscaping businesses put new lights to the top of the tallest evergreen tree in the Bluffton Presbyterian Church yard.

Coordinated by the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Bluffton, the 2017 Blaze of Lights was funded by more than 20 local businesses. Major sponsors are Bluffton University and J&D Snyder Excavating.

For more information about the Blaze of Lights, contact the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce at [email protected] or (419) 369-2985