Our View: Lights got away, but not spirit

The popular Bentleyville Tour of Lights was born in Carlton County in 2001 and is now the biggest Christmas season event in Duluth’s Bayfront Park. We are proud of its Carlton County heritage and with how the display seems to get better and better every year.

Last year Covid kept visitors in their cars for a drive-through experience, but the high number of vaccinated people in Minnesota, along with the cold weather, has allowed the event to return to its stroll-through format, letting people linger as long as they want, mingle, and tour the displays as they see fit.

Santa is available for questioning, by children and grown-ups alike, and if you’ve been nice — and you’re a child — he’ll give you a Bentleyville stocking cap. There are Christmas cookies, cider and hot chocolate to enjoy as you stroll through the displays or warm yourselves by the fire pits. It’s often crowded but never hurried, and bumping into others seems to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.

And, it’s all free. Not one of the more than 300,000 annual visitors is charged admission. Sure, a donation is appreciated and there are collection areas for food and toys to be given to the Salvation Army, but there’s no pressure. There are sometimes long lines of cars vying for the parking spots (the city charges $10 per car), especially around dinnertime, when the display seems most popular. It’s open at 5 p.m. daily through Dec. 27. It’s even open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

We appreciate the spirit of this event, just as we appreciate the Wood City Music Festival, aka the Wood City Worship Festival, which operates on a similar business model. Both rely on many volunteers to carry out everything from setup to cleanup, and neither expects anything in return from its attendees. As a result, we’ve seen the goodwill each event generates spread throughout our community.

The Bentleyville display is located between Interstate 35 and the Duluth waterfront, and it’s a spectacle even while just driving by. But it’s better to stop by and visit in person. The magic of making memories with your family and friends has become an annual event for those who visit, volunteer, donate and assist.

We’re a little wistful that we let this terrific display leave Carlton County, but we surely appreciate the genius of Nathan Bentley, his family, and all the volunteers they’ve assembled to make this a great holiday tradition.