1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Recent Blog Posts
  4. 2024 Holiday Lighting Ceremonies - University Circle, Lock 3 Akron, Downtown Cleveland, GE Nela Park

2024 Holiday Lighting Ceremonies - University Circle, Lock 3 Akron, Downtown Cleveland, GE Nela Park

Blog Date
Author(s)
Stuart O. Smith, Jr.
Tags
Cleveland
Akron
Summit Artspace
University Circle
Winterfest
Theatre
Holiday Lights

2024 Holiday Lighting Ceremonies - University Circle, Akron, Cleveland, Nela Park
Enlarge Image

As I have done in the past, I wanted to create this blog post to share my photos from the holiday lights in the area, but this year there were two big differences:

  • Unlike past years, I attended the official lighting ceremonies at four locations!! Normally, I only attend the downtown Cleveland Lighting Ceremony, and then would see the holiday lights display at Nela Park, Akron, and University Circle during my normal holiday visits to those venues. This made this year special!

  • A second difference is that I also attended two arts venues the same evenings as two of the lighting ceremonies. I wanted to share these experiences this blog post. First, after I attended the University Circle holiday lighting ceremony, I went to a Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre Program production. Second, before the Akron holiday lighting ceremony, I toured Summit ArtSpace.

Friday, December 6, 2024, Stuart and Julie Smith with Lighting Designer Debbie Shore George at the GE Lighting Nela Park Holiday Lighting Ceremony. This was a special celebration of 100 years of holiday lights at this East Cleveland location.
Enlarge Image

 

I want to make special mention of the Nela Park (headquarters of GE Lighting, a Savant company) event, since it marks the 100th year that General Electric Lighting has had holiday lights at this East Cleveland location. Congratulations to Lighting Designer Debbie Shore George, who has created these designs for the past 22 years, and also creates the lighting design for the National Christmas Tree. The National Christmas Tree is a large, living evergreen tree located in the northeast quadrant of the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C. Debbie Shore George and I graduated from high school together, and at our last reunion, I had an opportunity to thank her in person for her work. A big part of our family's holiday tradition is to visit GE Lighting's Nela Park holiday lights every year.

 

Thank you to Summit Artspace Executive Director Heather Meeker for my visit to their Kaleidoscope annual holiday show and the rest of their art galleries.
Enlarge Image To Read Bio

I want to thank Summit Artspace Executive Director Heather Meeker for my visit to their Kaleidoscope annual holiday show and the rest of their art galleries. There are many artistic gems found throughout the building. When I arrived at Summit Artspace, I found that is was closed for the day in preparation for their Holiday Market Weekend/Artist Sunday. Fortunately, Heather Meeker recognized me from my past visits and from promoting their galleries on social media, so she invited me in. She not only allowed me to tour the galleries on my own, but she also told me a little about the history of the building as she gave me a ride in their cool, "manually-operated freight elevator." I knew of its history as the location of the Akron Beacon Journal, but I did not know that it was also previously part of the Akron Public Library. Read some interesting details about the Summit Artspace building on their website.

 

What follows are my photos and videos of:

 

 

Saturday, November 23, 2024
Illuminate the Circle: A Magical Holiday Experience - Cleveland's University Circle
and
Jesus Christ Superstar - Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre Program - Wine Cast

Since my wife and co-blogger, Julie, knew I had tickets to attend the Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre Program production of Jesus Christ Superstar, she did not think I would have time to attend the Illuminate the Circle event. I ended up not only attending, but I also met some of the holiday lighting event organizers: Engagement and Outreach Manager Debbi Abela and Chief Engagement and Collaboration Officer Sheffia Randall-Nickerson. They told me how they want to engage the community more in University Circle events, and about a new University Circle Community Room that is opening soon. We also talked about the new Cleveland Museum of Natural History Grand Opening Celebration on December 13 - 15, 2024. Since 2013, I have written 18 blog posts about the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, so I am very interested to see the new renovation of this great museum.

You will see in my photos that in addition to University Circle's Illuminate the Circle, I also captured part of the Cleveland Botanical Garden's FROST.

See the following information from the University Circle website about how the holiday lights fun continues through January 26, 2025:

Illuminate the Circle: A Magical Holiday Experience
Join us as we light up the season and spread joy throughout University Circle with Illuminate the Circle Powered by PNC Bank. For two months, Wade Oval transforms into a shimmering winter wonderland, complete with an immersive light show, holiday vignettes, and iconic seasonal traditions.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS SEASON

Daily Light Schedule, November 24 – December 31:

● Holiday light displays are turned on daily from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
● Light show and music play every 20 minutes from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
● Warm white lights are on from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Daily Light Schedule, January 1 – January 26:

● Warm white lights are on daily from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
. . .
TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY – WADE OVAL PARK

November 23, 2024
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Kick off the holiday season with a dazzling Tree Lighting Ceremony at Wade Oval! This unforgettable evening will feature live music, festive activities, and the grand illumination of our 30-foot Christmas tree. The tree will synchronize with a custom light show set to an original score.

EVENT SCHEDULE:

● 5:00 PM Live Music with Stix Quintet on the Kulas Stage
● 6:30 PM Lighting of the Tree by Santa Claus
● 6:45 PM Holiday Light Show and Meet & Greet with Santa
. . .

THE RINK AT WADE OVAL

After many wonderful seasons, The Rink at Wade Oval is being retired due to declining use in recent years. As we look ahead, we’re focusing on making Wade Oval a space that appeals to broader audiences and offers something for everyone during the winter months. This year, we’ve introduced Illuminate the Circle, which transformed the park into a winter wonderland featuring light displays, holiday vignettes, and a 30-foot tree. We’re excited to continue creating new experiences that bring people together and make The Circle a warm and welcoming destination. Thank you for your support as we embrace this new chapter.

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

Once Santa lit the University Circle holiday lights, I was off to Baldwin Wallace University Music Theatre Program's production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The week before (on Saturday, November 16, 2024), I had absolutely loved the production with the "Water Cast" so much that I wanted to see it again with the "Wine Cast." On these particular Saturdays, there was also an "Understudy Cabaret" show after the main production. I am so glad to be including the following promotion photos that were posted on social media, along with my photos. This gives me an opportunity to again thank both of the very talented casts. During the weeks leading up to the shows, and between the shows, I was very active on social media, sharing my joy regarding the performances. I have included photos of both the "Water Cast" and "Wine Cast," since they were both excellent:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to read details and look more closely at the costume and set designs!!

 

 

Friday, November 29, 2024
Tour of Summit ArtSpace
and
Welcome Santa Parade & Grand Reopening Celebration For Lock 3 - Akron

I went to Akron for the grand opening of Lock 3 Akron, so while there, I thought I would stop to see the galleries of Summit Artspace first. The week before, I had toured the Emily Davis Gallery and Akron Art Museum, but missed touring Summit Artspace. (See all the details in my blog post: A Day of Akron Art Galleries: Skulls & Neon.) I am so glad I was able to see the following on this visit to Akron:

22nd Annual Kaleidoscope | Juried Exhibition
Betty and Howard Taylor Main Gallery

October 4 – December 14, 2024
Kaleidoscope is an annual holiday show presented by the Alliance for the Visual Arts (AVA). This show is open to all members of AVA organizations: Akron Society of Artists (ASA), Artists of Rubber City (AoRC), Cuyahoga Valley Art Center (CVAC), Medina County Art League (MCAL), Ohio Collage Society (OSC), and Women’s Art League of Akron (WAL). This year’s exhibition is juried by Meg Stanton, Art Consultant & Curator.

Summit Artspace is a nonprofit arts organization that strives to support artists throughout every step of the creative process. Located in the Historic Arts District in downtown Akron, it is a hub for artists and arts supporters to connect and share ideas. With affordable studio spaces available to artists and creative organizations, the building is bustling with inspiration at every corner. Four times each year, Summit Artspace rotates exhibitions in its five galleries, allowing the public to access incredible art for free. It also coordinates public programs, such as ArtWalk, which engage the community with art and local creators.

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

The Akron Santa Parade and holiday lighting ceremony was extra special this year, since it was also the grand opening of Lock 3!

City Of Akron To Host Grand Reopening Celebration For Lock 3 On Friday, November 29
. . . Akron Mayor Shammas Malik announced the grand reopening celebration for downtown’s Lock 3. The celebration will take place on Friday, November 29 immediately following the City’s Welcome Santa Parade. The parade begins downtown at 6:00 pm and features colorful floats, marching groups, stilt walkers, costumed characters and more. The festivities will continue in the newly renovated Lock 3 with music, a ribbon cutting with speakers, and a spectacular drone show at 7 pm. There will be ice carving with a live demonstration, and residents will see The Grinch, Santa and other costumed characters on site for photo opportunities. Ice skating will be available from 11am until 11pm for the grand opening.
. . .
. . . The Maynard Performance Pavilion is a world-class, one-of-a-kind facility. It has 3 sides for performances including the lawn view for concerts and events totaling 3,000 – 3,500 guests, the Swensons Game Patio view, for 500 – 1,000 person events and the Canal view, for 250 – 500 person events.

Located in the center of Akron, and along the 101-mile Ohio & Erie Canalway and Towpath Trail, Lock 3 has been transformed into a premier park that is accessible, equitable and welcoming for residents and visitors. As part of the project, 35,500 plants and over 100 trees were planted in the park. All are native species.
. . .
The redevelopment cost $17M with the City of Akron funding $6.5M, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation contributing $5.5M, and the remaining $5M is from generous organizations and individual donors. Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition and the City of Akron thank all of the donors . . .

It's time to celebrate--we are so excited to announce the grand reopening of Lock 3 Akron, Ohio! We have 2 ice rinks, the main rink for ice skating and ice bikes and a smaller rink dedicated to ice bumper cars and private parties! Our cozy igloos return with a great view of the newly renovated Lock 3. Archie the Snowman, the 22 foot talking snowman is back to delight young and old. Enjoy a trip down Memory Lane, filled with vintage holiday displays and selfie stations, sponsored by Miller's Party rental. Don't forget to stop by LockStop Cafe for a hot chocolate or a delicious bowl of Whitey's chili. We hope you're able to join us to celebrate this $17M investment into downtown Akron all winter long!

 

Lock 3 Holiday Displays:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

City of Akron Welcome Santa Illuminated Parade:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

Lock 3 Ribbon Cutting/Holiday Lighting Ceremony, and drone show:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

I sent a message to Jones Drones Cleveland letting them know how impressed I was with the two drone videos they shared on Facebook from the Lock 3 Akron opening ceremony. They were so kind to post the video to Vimeo for me, and then send me the code to be able to embed their video to share it with you:

If you like the video and are on Facebook, please share the following two Facebook posts with your friends:

 

 

Saturday, November 30, 2024
WinterLand Cleveland - #WinterLandCLE in Tower City & Public Square - Downtown Cleveland

#WinterLandCLE is produced by: Downtown Cleveland

WinterLand returns to Downtown Cleveland on Saturday, November 30th with family experiences and the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony!

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

If you search my websites for "Emanuel Wallace," you will see that I mention his photos in 52 of my blog posts. Be sure to see his Cleveland Winterland photos in the following article:

 

In addition to the one from Akron, Jones Drones Cleveland posted the following video to Vimeo for me to share with you:

 

 

Friday, December 6, 2024
GE Nela Park’s 100th Annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony - East Cleveland

For a century, East Cleveland’s Nela Park has been a source of local holiday cheer when it lights up with more than one million bulbs in a display of festive scenes. It’s also a showcase of historic innovation. The 92-acre Noble Road park has served as the headquarters for GE Lighting since 1913, just two years after East Cleveland was incorporated as a city. It only makes sense for a developer of holiday lights to show off their stuff, right?
. . .
This year, Nela Park lights up on Dec. 6 and will be illuminated every day, at every hour, until Jan. 6. The display is ultimately the product of months’ worth of work, says GE Holiday Lighting Designer Debbie George, who hand-builds and selects displays starting in July.

Nela Park isn’t the only space where you can see George’s and GE’s work; she also designs the National Tree on the Ellipse at the White House — a replica of which stands tall at the entrance of the East Cleveland headquarters.

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

Since this was a special 100th anniversary, there were a lot of stories written about the GE Lighting Nela Park Holiday Lights. Here are some great articles with more on the history and photos of this special National Historic Landmark:

 

Related Blog Posts

I always like to include a list of related blog posts that may be of interest to the readers of this blog post.

 

GE Lighting's Nela Park:

 

University Circle Annual Holiday CircleFest:

 

Blog posts tagged "Cleveland Winterfest" are listed here:

 

Here are all our "Summit Artspace" blog posts, but we recommend viewing more venues/events in the area by seeing my 27 "Akron" blog posts.

 

  • Since I write about the Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre Program, you might be interested in reading some of my 18 "Theatre" blog posts.

 

I feel so fortunate to be able to attend these holiday lighting ceremonies and arts events. Thank you to all the creative people who enrich my life!