As the holiday season looks different this year in the face of the COVID pandemic, a citywide holiday light up activity is a bright spot.

 

Sponsored by the Greater Bridgeport CVB/Connect-Bridgeport and Card My Yard, “Light Up Our City” will kick off Thursday, Dec. 3 in conjunction with Light Up Night 2020.

 

“There are many things cancelled for this holiday season and this gives families something special to do,” said Jenny Reed, owner of Card My Yard. “They can drive around and look at all the lit-up houses and businesses.”

 

Residents and business owners are invited and encouraged to light up their homes and businesses on the evening of Dec. 3.

 

Greater Bridgeport CVB Director Cassie Busdeker said the expansion of Light Up Night to include the entire city is a welcome and needed perk for the 2020 holiday season. 

 

"Light Up Night is such a wonderful way for our community to start the holiday season. I am so happy to see the tradition continue during a time when so many things have changed," she said. "This is a great, safe way to uplift the community." 

 

Those planning to participate are asked to email their addresses to julie@connect-bridgeport.com by Monday, Nov. 30. A map will be created to include those addresses and distributed via Connect-Bridgeport, as well as at the Light Up Night Drive-Through.

 

Reed will place surprise yard card messages throughout the route on Dec. 3, even including random letters which will spell out a special message.

 

“Kids can write down the letters they see along the way and after they have visited all the addresses included on the map, they can take those letters and try to put them in the right order to solve the message,” she said.

 

Those lighting up their homes and businesses are invited and encouraged to snap a picture, once all the decorations are in place, and send those photos to julie@connect-bridgeport.com.

 

Families who can’t drive the route through Bridgeport to see the lights can do so anytime leading up to the Christmas holiday. The map will be available for download on Connect-Bridgeport.

 

“They can pile in their car another evening - maybe with their kids in their pajamas – and take in the sights. They will know where all the good houses are,” Reed said.

 

Light Up Night 2020 is shaping up to be a special event for residents. The Associated Businesses of Bridgeport, along with the City of Bridgeport/Bridgeport Parks and Recreation is presenting an unprecedented experience – featuring actor Dean Cain – to kick off the holiday season. The drive-through event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and will be preceded by a live WDTV broadcast of the actual tree lighting. Details are being finalized by the ABB and will be shared here on Connect-Bridgeport soon.

 

Read about Light Up Night HERE. 

 

Editor's Note: Courtesy of residents, photos feature holiday lights from recent years past.