HISTORY
HOW IT STARTED
1993 – St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman invited Bemidji Mayor Doug Peterson and his wife Sandy to St. Paul for their annual Torchlight Parade. As Mayor Peterson stood in Rice Park in downtown St. Paul he admired the dazzling lights and said “We can do this in Bemidji.” From that day on, it was Mayor Peterson’s dream to bring back the magic of Christmas to downtown Bemidji. For the first 4 years of the celebration, the City of Bemidji along with a dedicated committee was the organizer of the event.
1996 – In preparation for Bemidji’s Centennial in 1996, Mayor Peterson dedicated the centennial year to Bemidji’s future and youth and by doing so launched a new Bemidji tradition called First City of Lights. On November 29, 1996 Mayor Peterson accompanied by St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman flipped the giant switch illuminating 250 thousand lights throughout Paul Bunyan Park and downtown Bemidji. The first Night We Light included bonfires, caroling, and a fireworks display.
1997 – The First City of Lights display expands north of Paul Bunyan Park to include Library Park growing the display to 300 thousand lights. 1997 also marked the first ever Night We Light Parade through downtown Bemidji.
1998 – The lighting ceremony is moved to accommodate more space to the observation deck where Mayor Peterson and the entire Bemidji City Council carried in a giant electrical plug to illuminate the display. This was also the year the illuminated arch way made its debut on the path to Library Park.
2000 – The City of Bemidji hands over the First City of Lights to the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce who organized and ran the celebration for fifteen years.
2015 – The Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce hands the First City of Lights Celebration over to the Bemidji Jaycees. New streetlight banners, illuminated garlands and bows also debuted on downtown Bemidji Streetlights.
2016 – The First City of Lights expands to Highway 197 where new LED streetlight decorations were added. The 5 Golden Wreaths were also added to Paul Bunyan Park. The Night We Light Celebration also grew to include Santa’s Workshop.
2017 – Downtown Bemidji’s trees are illuminated after years of not being part of the display. The original illuminated archway is found after years of it missing from the display and is restored and placed in Paul Bunyan Park. A downtown Christmas Window Display contest was added as well as the First City of Lights Tour of Homes which showcases Bemidji’s most illuminated homes.
2018 – For the first time ever the First City of Lights display surpasses 300 thousand lights and also experiences the single largest expansion ever to the display. Paul Bunyan’s Christmas Tree, a 56ft. tall 30 ft. wide metal LED animated musical mega tree. The metal structure was made possible by Paul Bunyan Communications and became the centerpiece of the display located in the center of the park. The display also expanded to the Lake Bemidji South Shore as part of Hockey Day Minnesota where trees leading up to the Sanford Center were illuminated for the season. A new food drive is added to the beginning of the Night We Light Parade called Carts of Care.
2019 – After years of not being illuminated, Library Park is transformed into the Sanford Health Winter Garden showcasing cool white LED Lights wrapped around every tree trunk. An FM transmitter is also added to Paul Bunyan’s Christmas Tree so spectators can enjoy the music and the display from the warmth of their vehicle.
2020 – Despite the pandemic the First City of Lights carries on without a lighting ceremony and Santa’s Workshop. However the display added to large features such as the Sanford Health Fountain of Hope in Library Park and the giant illuminated American Flag called “A Salute to Heroes” courtesy of Hill’s Plumbing & Heating. Due to the pandemic the Night We Light Parade moved to the Sanford Center parking lot for the Night We Light UnParade where over 968 vehicles drove by and enjoyed all the illuminated floats and each vehicle received a free bag of LED Lights from Otter Tail Power Company.
2021 – Celebrating 25 Years of Light!