Cedarburg, WI – Illuminate Ozaukee, a drive-thru holiday light show brought to you by Ozaukee Nonprofit Center, twinkled into life for 6 nights ahead of the Christmas holiday. Over 25 local businesses and community organizations came together to decorate the Herman A. Zeunert park for the season. Together with Ozaukee Nonprofit Center, these participants sought a festive way to shine a light on Ozaukee Counties’ nonprofit organizations. Unfortunately, due to weather, the ONC had to make the difficult decision to cancel the final seventh night of the light show which historically is the highest traffic night. Although deeply saddened to close on the 23rd of December, the ONC felt it was the safest decision for staff, volunteers and visitors to avoid the brutal temperatures and road conditions.
“Illuminate Ozaukee welcomed 1,100 vehicles throughout the seven nights, and we couldn’t have been happier with how it came together in our third year! The support we received from the community and our participants was remarkable. The goal has always been to create a light show that would bring the business and nonprofit communities together, but we continue to be touched by the dedication and creativity of our participants. Illuminate Ozaukee has grown into a truly unique and fun experience that really showcases the community spirit that goes into it.” says Carissa Barnes, Executive Director of Ozaukee Nonprofit Center.
Local organizations were invited to bring their imagination and materials to create plots of their own design. For some added fun, plots along the Illuminate Ozaukee path were then numbered to allow the community and visitors to vote for their favorite business. Hundreds of visitors voted and chose Digital Edge as the Holiday Design Champion for 2022. Digital Edge’s plot brought to life Whoville from Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” featuring many recognizable characters including the Grinch himself!
“We were especially proud of the positivity surrounding this event, and we are thrilled to be offering this event to the community,” says Barnes. “We look forward to seeing what the community comes up with next year”.
To learn more about Ozaukee Nonprofit Center or the Illuminate Ozaukee event, please visit ozaukeenonprofitcenter.org.