It's Happening: Light Up Night; It All Began with a Whim and a Prayer
By Julie Perine on November 24, 2024
Mention Light Up Night to most city residents and they will comment that it feels like a Hallmark movie. For the past 19 years, the event has embodied all the elements: Community members greeting one another as they gather for the lighting of the city tree, holiday music playing, hot cocoa being handed out and occasionally even a freshly-fallen snow.
What has become perhaps the most popular event of the year and drawing approximately 3,000 people annually started on a much smaller scale. In the words of founding ABB member Doug Marquette, “it was planned on a whim and a prayer.”
The Associated Businesses of Bridgeport had been formed in the spring of 2005. With the same criteria in place today, members had to do business in and pay business and occupation taxes to the City of Bridgeport. The ABB is not synonymous with the city, but it does support the city and vice versa. It is a free-standing non-profit organization that operates through its own board of directors. Today, the ABB has about 75 members. All businesses which qualify are encouraged to join. Dues are only $95 per year and that money goes right back into the community for events like Light Up Night, the Scarecrow display and contest and the Summer Kickoff and Food Truck Festival.
Back in 2005, there were an estimated 20-25 members and someone came up with the idea which would become known as Light Up Night.
“The idea to light the tree and usher in the holiday season seemed radical,” Marquette said. “The community had no real concept of what the ABB was about and as a group we were looking at giving back to the community which supported our businesses.”
The group’s hope was to make Light Up Night a cornerstone activity that would be a great success.
“We honestly had no idea if anyone would attend that first year,” Marquette said. “We included the grade school choirs. A side benefit of them singing was that maybe their parents, grandparents and siblings would come.”
As the big day approached, it looked like smooths sailing. The weather was pristine with temperatures in the high 20s. Twenty-something businesses set up booths along Main Street – sporadically located between the Civic Center and Center Street - to distribute free refreshments and holiday goodies.
“To our surprise, there were maybe 500 to 750 people and it went off just perfectly,” Marquette said. “As the event was coming toward its conclusion – just after the tree had been lit – a soft snow began – big flakes – that put everyone in the mood for the holiday season.”
As the years went on, more and more businesses joined the ABB and Light Up 
Night got bigger and bigger. There’s never a worry that enough people won’t attend. The community loves and is proud of the event which takes a small army to pull off; keeping everything on schedule, lining up the booths, taking care of traffic, setting up the stage and many other tasks.
Night got bigger and bigger. There’s never a worry that enough people won’t attend. The community loves and is proud of the event which takes a small army to pull off; keeping everything on schedule, lining up the booths, taking care of traffic, setting up the stage and many other tasks.
“If you think about the thousands of hands that are on the rope to make a successful Light Up Night, it is amazing,” Marquette said. “You have 50-plus businesses giving of their time and treasure along with their employees handing out thousands of goodies, you have around 100 school children in the choir, their music directors and their parents, you have the high school jazz band and their director, you have all the Parks and Rec personnel, you have the Police Department and their VIPS keeping people safe and organized, you have sponsoring businesses providing the money to make it happen, you have the Boy Scouts, the pastor with the invocation, and the mayor, and the designated tree lighters.”
And, of course, you are an integral part also.
The event would not spark the excitement it is known for without the thousands of Bridgeport residents who come downtown with their families to visit with their neighbors and friends.
“Like all good events in Bridgeport, so many hands pulling the rope is what makes it a success,” Marquette said.
To obtain a membership form to join the ABB, contact Hilary Gonzalez at hilary.gonzalez@kaufmanrealty.com.
The 20th Annual Light Up Night takes place 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. Look for more articles about the event, including one featuring a very special lineup of this year’s tree lighters.
Editor's Note: The photos above, by Ben Queen, were taken during the 2011 Light Up Night. Do you recognize anyone you know?
