To honor the memory of those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook school shooting, the Holiday Light Fantasia in Hartford is changing its bulb colors for the Paths of Angels display. The display’s new colors will reflect those of Sandy Hook Elementary School, green and white.
In response, the Channel 3 Kids Camp Facebook page read: “The green and white angels will shine bright in loving memory of the innocent children and heroic staff that lost their lives in the December 14th tragedy.”
After the tragedy on December 14, in which 20 children and six adults were killed, the Holiday Lights Fantasia went dark for the evening, out of respect for the families at the elementary school. The display was reopened on December 15.
Held at Goodwin Park in Hartford and now a city tradition, the Holiday Light Fantasia, presented by Trantolo & Trantolo, benefits the Channel 3 Kids Camp. The program, held in Andover, has been open to children for over 100 years, providing accessible and inclusive programs. Currently, more than 4,000 children from all Connecticut counties and other parts of New England visit the camp yearly.
With its start delayed after trailers were broken into and supplies stolen, the Holiday Lights Fantasia began on November 25, 2012 and lasts until January 6, 2013. A long-standing holiday destination in Connecticut, the display is a two-mile show composed of over 1 million lights.
With the lights, traditional holiday scenes are depicted, as well as familiar holiday characters, and features local tributes. The arrangement in Goodwin Park, in the past, has included 200 individual displays not only of Christmas scenes but also for Hanukkah, New Year’s, and Three Kings Day. Last year, the event saw more than 90,000 visitors pass through.
