SARTELL, Minn. — The seventh-annual Country Lights Festival kicked off in spectacular fashion in Sartell on Friday night, drawing perhaps the largest Opening Night crowd in history after volunteers rushed to rebuild a vandalized light display.
With holiday lights covering 33 acres of land behind the Sartell Community Center, families huddled near the fire, stood in line for hot chocolate, and watched their kids ride a slow-moving train throughout the event grounds as Christmas music blared in the background. In all, hundreds of people enjoyed the festivities on the first evening of December.
"It's a great turnout for the community," said Tom Jelinski, a representative for sponsor Country Financial and one of the event's organizers. "Something bad turned into something good."
Last month, somebody inexplicably cut about 90 percent of the festival's lights, weeks after the organizers had finished draping them on the trees. Sartell Police said Friday they still do not have any leads in the case, but they've asked the public to come forward with any information they may have.
LaDonna Smith, who lives near the community center and can see the lights from her living room window, said she was "very upset" when she learned somebody had cut the lights. However, after volunteers worked to repair the display, she could not believe her eyes.
"Oh my gosh, it's awesome. I can't believe how many lights they have this year!" Smith said. "I think they look better than ever. I mean, I'm at awe with them."
Evan Olson Drake, a member of Boy Scout Troop 11 in Sartell, volunteered Friday to keep the event running smoothly. His job was to tend to the fire pits -- an important duty on a cold December night.
"It's just fun helping out, and it makes you feel good. It's just nice to see people that enjoy this," he said. "[It shows that] we don't give up. We'll always rebound."
Julian Weitz-Elder of Sauk Rapids brought his entire family to the Country Lights Festival on Friday night for the first time.
"I've seen them from afar, but I've never partaken myself. It's really nice seeing it up close," he said. "It just shows the community's commitment to just being there for each other, that even though someone wants to rain on people's parade, we're all in this together and can make it work."
The Country Lights Festival will continue throughout the month, ending on New Year's Eve with a fireworks display.
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