Redmond's "Winter Lights Festival 2011" - a glowing success, Eastside festival destination

SUZANNE QUERRY/ City Hall Light

Redmond's  "Winter Lights Festival 2011" a glowing success.

OPINION:  The thousands of citizens, families and tourists lucky enough to discover Redmond's "Winter Lights Festival" last Saturday are probably still glowing from their holiday experience in Redmond.  

It was the two magnificent, lit-up trees - one evergreen and the other deciduous - that drew my wife and I to the event.  We drove closer towards the downtown streets and then City Hall to see the trees and get a pulse on the event.  OMG.  The numbers of people moving around  the festival was absolutely astounding.  Never, in my wildest dreams did I expect thousands of residents and visitors would show up!  One of the mayor's favorite words and goals for the city is "vibrancy" and seeing people walking on our sidewalks.  The energy and movement around the various entertainment events and displays was almost frenetic.  The luminary trail lined with families and community from City Hall to Redmond Town Center was absolutely beautiful!... with entertaining "discoveries" at every turn.  Visit the website to see them!

My wife and I fully embraced this grand celebration when we saw the entire community was behind Winter Lights, including the Redmond business community.   Prior to the Marchione Administration, these festivals were funded almost exclusively by citizen taxpayers.  Expansive, city run entertainment is "nice to have" and significant to our culture and heritage, but not required of the city with the same emphasis as  community safety. Read More >>

By adding our business community to the mix, we have synergies that enrich and grow the experience while bolstering those businesses that step forward.  My goodness, did you see the crowds at RTC!

In appreciation and recognition to the businesses and organizations who stepped up to sponsor and support Winter Lights 2011 they're listed below, and on the city festival site:    From the top Sponsor on the list, on down are:

SWEDISH, Microsoft, *City of Redmond, *Experience Redmond, Redmond Reporter, *Think Redmond, Redmond Town Center, Smith Bros., Waste Management, Warm 106.9, Chevrolet, Redmond Patch, PSE, Riverpark, Pelston, Young Smiles, Overlake Squadron, Godards School, Clear Chiropractic. 
*funded by taxpayers

The John Marchione Administration and Council deserves a big round of KUDOS for bringing our entire community and cultures together in this memorable Winter Lights 2011 Festival.  It will only continue to get better as our our entire community and surrounding neighbors deepen their discovery of  "the Redmond, WA experience."

Opinion By Bob Yoder
Facebook Photo By Suzanne Querry, Sammamish, WA
(This photo was approved by Suzanne)