Courtesy photo Bobbi Ryan of Jack’s Restaurant and the Rapid River Business Association flashes a thumbs-up to volunteers from Northern Utilities as they work to string Masonville Township Park with lights recently.

RAPID RIVER — Two more Saturdays are left for Rapid River’s Lights in the Park, the holiday event put together by the efforts of local businesses and the community to bring an illuminated drive-through experience to Masonville Township Park. On the 14th and 21st between 6 and 8 p.m., visitors — who are requested to bring a non-perishable food item to donate — may drive their own vehicles along the loop or hop on a hayride, plus enjoy concessions and see Santa dropped off at the pavilion by the Masonville Township Volunteer Fire Department.

The work to put up the thousands of lights and displays to adorn the park began the first week of November, said Bobbi Ryan, one of the owners of Jack’s Restaurant and, as a member of the Rapid River Business Association, a leader in organizing Lights in the Park.

“Miles and miles of extension cords and lights” and inflatable decorations attract people from around the area to the small town for the event, which began during COVID and backed up the highway during its first run in 2020. Now, a competition between different local businesses to produce the best display is underway, and this year, even more businesses got involved. An anonymous judge will select winners for the first, second and third place prizes.

The first night of the 2024 Lights in the Park on Dec. 7 went great, with a nice, steady line the whole time, Ryan reported.

“I think this is probably one of the best ones that we put together, and we donated a bunch of food,” she said.

Collected donations from the first two sessions are going to the Calvary Lutheran Church in Rapid River; those from the final date will go to the State Police’s “Stuff a Blue Goose” program.

On the last day, the 21st, there will be music in the pavilion.

Masonville Township Supervisor Wendy Holzencamp cited Lights in the Park as one of the great things that the community does, and praised the Rapid River Business Association for running the event.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into putting all of that up, all of that decoration down there … and I wish there was more people involved with with helping to do that,” Holzencamp said.

Organizers are asking for additional assistance for breakdown on Sunday, Dec. 22.

“If anybody’s around who wants to give us a hand, see how it’s done — we’d appreciate it,” Ryan said. “It takes us seven weeks to put it up, and we bring it all down in one day.”

Ryan mentioned that businesses and small groups and individuals all contribute to make the lit-up park a reality — for example, Mel’s Lawn and Garden donated the straw bales, Northern Utilities volunteered two bucket trucks to string up lights, Enbridge provided a grant, and the Rapid River High School Key Club helps with operations during the event — but there are so many participants, big and small, that it would be impossible to try to name them all.

“We appreciate everybody,” Ryan said.

Even so, more hands would be a boon to the workload that still lies ahead on the 22nd. Volunteers able to assist with cleanup may head to Masonville Township Park the last Sunday before Christmas and secure their positions on Santa’s nice list.