LORA KNIGHT / Scroll
Christmas lights, which were turned on immediately following Thanksgiving, grace Main Street in Rexburg on Friday.

The Festival of Lights was put together four or five years ago in addition to turning on the Christmas lights down Main Street to provide fun activities and performances for the public, said Cindy McCuistion, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, who serves as the director over the Hometown Festival of Lights.

Approximately 800-1,000 people attended the festival throughout the night, McCuistion said. The Festival of Lights started out with a Turkey trot, a short race down Main Street, followed by Christmas caroling at the city Christmas tree as Santa Claus made his appearance to light the tree.

“It was cold and I couldn’t hear what was going on, I just heard the countdown,” said John Collins, a BYU-Idaho alumnus.

After the tree was lit, families went to the Westwood Theatre, where cartoons and movies were playing.

Rexburg Mayor Shawn Larsen said, “There was good participation, it filled the Westwood Theatre.”

Across the street from the Theatre, families gathered at the Tabernacle for a Christmas Talent Show, featuring local groups of all ages.

Burgandie Hammer, an 11-year-old from Arco, Idaho, who danced in the talent show with the Rocky Mountain Stars, said her favorite part was “just dancing.”

“The acoustics were wonderful,” said Hally Loe, the world’s only pop and rock flutist. Performing a number of pieces, Loe got the audience clapping and cheering as she played. But, Loe is not the typical musician, as she told the audience.

Loe had signed a contract to be a professional singer. But in 1980, her life changed when she was hit by a drunk driver and lost her singing voice. It took her two years to heal, but she did not want to give up music. She decided to learn how to play the flute and now she performs for audiences all over the world.

“Everybody has a purpose and everybody has lessons to learn,” Loe said.

Grant Johnson, coordinator of Education and Human Development College in the Internship and Career Services Department, had a hard time answering what his favorite part about the talent show was because he came to watch his grandkids and “my grandkids are my favorite part,” he said.

“Overall it went really well,” Larsen said. “The highlight was Santa Claus coming to town to turn on the lights.”

The Chamber of Commerce encourages everyone to come out and participate in the Hometown Festival of Lights held the day after Thanksgiving.

To get involved in the future, call the Chamber of Commerce at 356-5700 for more details.