Photo courtesy of Cory Brockman Thousands of lights made for a festive atmosphere at Independence Park during this year’s Light Up the Night event. From left to right, Sheila Brockman, Ashley Grams, Sarah Kirchner, Marcy Heemeyer and Connie Nelson posed in front of an archway of lights at the park.

MARSHALL — Southwest Minnesota didn’t have a white Christmas this year. But mild temperatures over the past month helped bring people outside for events like Light Up the Night, organizers said.

“On all the weekends, attendance seemed good this year,” said Cory Brockman, marketing and development coordinator at Prairie Home Hospice and Community Care. “The weather was a big factor in that. A lot of people got out to the park.”

The light displays at Light Up the Night are still running from 5-9 p.m. every night at Independence Park, through Dec. 31.

This year, visitors came out to Independence Park in Marshall to see dozens of lighted trees and special features like a live Nativity scene, as well as to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. Brockman said special weekend events drew out crowds of people.

“We had a great attendance with the family fun night,” he said. The second annual “Run For a Claus” fun run also grew in participation, with about 60 people registering to don festive hats and run through the park.

Visitors at Light Up the Night were also ready to support local causes. Brockman estimated that the event has raised more than $20,000 in donations to help support Prairie Home Hospice and Community Care.

“It’s a good number for us. It makes it our second biggest fundraiser of the year,” he said.

Although a warm December made it easier for visitors to come enjoy the light displays, the weather also ended up posing some challenges for Light Up the Night this year. The mist and rain on the weekend of Dec. 16 shorted out many of the lights in the park, Brockman said.

“But by Sunday, we were able to get them back up and running,” Brockman said.

Brockman was back at the park on Wednesday too, working to make sure the lighting systems were dry and functioning.

Brockman said this year Light Up the Night had strong support not just from visitors, but from the volunteers who help make the event possible.

“We began decorating on Friday, October 6, and continued all the way up to opening night, Friday, November 24,” Brockman said.

It took more than 200 hours of volunteer work to decorate the park, and a total of 55 businesses, organizations and individuals signed up to decorate trees along Lyon Street. Volunteers also put in hours of work to organize the opening night parade on Nov. 24, and to help run the weekend event nights. All together, that added up to close to another 200 hours of work, he said.

Part of the fun of Light Up the Night is seeing how people come to enjoy the light displays, Brockman said.

“I’ve heard people say ‘We saw the lights from Highway 23, and had to come visit,'” he said. Some visitors have come from area cities like Clarkfield or Luverne, he said.

“It brightens people’s holiday,” Brockman said. “We’re glad we’re able to help people celebrate.”