All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
The inaugural Flagstaff Academy Festival of Lights on Dec. 9 featured 20 separate light displays, including this jeep-top scene created by Mr. Monahan and the school's fifth-grade team, winner of the people's choice voting.
A display by Flagstaff's school services team at the inaugural Flagstaff Academy Festival of Lights on Dec. 9 .
The Blackwell family created a "Chrismukkah" display to embrace the two traditions celebrated in their household.
The holiday spirit was in overdrive at the inaugural Festival of Lights, a dazzling open-air celebration held at Flagstaff Academy (2040 Miller Drive, Longmont) on Dec. 9. The event featured 20 original light displays created by staff, students, and families using their cars and a variety of decorating styles, ranging from simple and understated, to seasonal mayhem. For Flagstaff Executive Principal Katie Gustafson, the cheerful event was a positive way for the school's community to reconnect after the restrictions of the past two years, plus a way for students and staff to show off their "ingenuity and creativity."
"Most of the grade levels and different departments created their own displays, and then we have some from parents, and sponsors," she said. "I think it goes to show that we have a really great community that shows up and puts great things together for the kids."
Among the family displays was one from the Blackwell family, which follows two holiday traditions and wanted to embrace both for the event, resulting in the Chrismukkah car.
"We celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas in our house, and, when we learned about the festival, the kids asked if we could do a Hanukkah display," a family member said while handing out treat bags and overseeing a dreidel game. "But as we talked about it, the more they wanted to represent all of the holidays and traditions that we celebrate."
Many display groups also offered treats for the little ones or other holiday schwag, and participants were invited to vote on their favorite, adding some competitive spirit to the mix.
"It's the first time we've ever done this, and I'm kind of a competitive person, so I figured, why not go big," fifth-grade teacher Michael Monahan said of his team's display, which featured lights, an inflatable dragon (disguised as a dinosaur), paper ornaments, a punny sign, and a soundtrack. The fifth-grade guinea pig, Professor Potato, also made an appearance. "Everyone has their own style-I think the displays represent the teams really well."
Monahan and the fifth grade team went on to win the people's choice voting.
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