Join the entire 鶹Ƶ community for a university tradition and celebration of light that kicks off the winter holiday season.
The entire 鶹Ƶ campus will be illuminated during the annual Festival of Lights and Luminaries on Tuesday, Nov. 28 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Campus organizations, faith-based and otherwise, will display the importance of light during what is considered 鶹Ƶ’s most beloved tradition.
Organized by the Truitt Center for Religious & Spiritual Life, the annual event will allow the 鶹Ƶ community to “celebrate how light unites” with interactive stations focused on the significance light has with the diverse religious, spiritual and ethical traditions, worldviews and identities on 鶹Ƶ’s campus.
“The annual Festival of Lights and Luminaries is always a special time for the 鶹Ƶ community,” said Rev. Kirstin C. Boswell, university chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement. “Occurring during the final weeks of the semester, when the days are shorter and darker, and we are all tapping into our energy reserves, it is especially poignant that we are drawn together around the beauty and importance of light. Seeing the campus made vibrant by all the luminaries is an energizing moment for all.”
Regularly identified by students as a favorite tradition, the entire 鶹Ƶ community will gather during this special evening to take in the beauty of 鶹Ƶ as more than 50,000 lights and luminaries shine brightly across the heart of campus. Participants will have the opportunity to stroll through this historic campus to enjoy shared community, live music, hot chocolate, and fun!
“This year, our theme is ‘Light Unites,’” said Hillary Zaken, interim assistant dean of multifaith engagement. “There is no better way to educate our campus community about the world’s religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural traditions than to create a fun and welcoming space where we are all united, and we can celebrate the things that make us unique alongside those that bring us together.”
For the ninth year, 鶹Ƶ will honor generous donors within the 鶹Ƶ community by placing their names on the luminarias that light up our campus. More than a beautiful display of holiday warmth, it symbolizes the thousands of donors who choose to pay it forward and light the way for future generations.
The planning of the festival has been a collaborative effort by those in the Truitt Center as well as campus partners that include Facilities Management, Technology Services, Catering, Student Involvement, Advancement and the Office of the Vice President for Student Life.
Creating spaces for all to feel welcome and engage on a more focused theme is the goal for the event and the Truitt Center team and campus collaborators hope that those who attend will leave more informed and spiritually enriched.
The rain date for the Festival is Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.