Fantasy of Lights Delivered in 2022 and Gives Back

DECEMBER 30, 2022

Fantasy of Lights Delivered in 2022 and Gives Back

FORT WAYNE, INDIANA — Blue Jacket’s Fantasy of Lights will have its final vehicle drive through for 2022 on New Year’s Eve, completing the third most successful attendance year in the event’s 28-year history. An estimated 23,000 vehicles drove through the month-and-a-half long event which provided both in and out-of-car activities. 

Despite inflation, entrance rates stayed at $10.00 per vehicle for the sixth year in a row and included a small vendor market, free cocoa, and a free Santa to take photos with. This is one-fourth to one-eighth the price of similar-sized light events in other areas. 

Blue Jacket Inc. will use the proceeds from the event to fund its pre-employment training, career services, and payroll hiring the clients of Blue Jacket Inc.

“We are so proud of our team who worked incredibly hard through long, cold evenings to ensure families could experience the Fantasy of Lights, which has become a tradition for many in our community. While we could not expect the same attendance numbers we saw in 2020 and 2021, we were thrilled to serve over 23,000 vehicles and every dollar raised helps us advance our mission,” said Tony Hudson, Blue Jacket’s executive director and founder.

Leaders of Blue Jacket Inc. felt the generosity of the community and decided to give it back by providing free entrance on Mondays to honor different groups of people. Below is an estimate of those who participated in the free Mondays, with an established 3.5-person average per car.
●    249 people on Military Night sponsored by General Motors
●    203 people on First Responders Night sponsored by Parrish Leasing
●    182 people on Decorating Your Car Night sponsored by Old National Bank
●    378 people on Nursing Home night sponsored by Carter Lumber
●    1,376 people on Teacher’s Night sponsored by Star Financial Bank
●    711 people on 4-Legged (Pet) Night sponsored by ProFed Credit Union / Humane Fort Wayne

In total, 3,217 people visited the light display for free. This number is predicted to grow on New Year’s Eve, which offers a special “Pay What You Want” admission fee. 3Rivers Velo Sports also coordinated a ride with 118 bicyclists with a Blue Jacket-funded police escort.  

Santa’s Christmas Market was open for 28 nights. On December 22, the market closed early due to weather conditions. Guests who participated in the out-of-car experience had the opportunity to meander through the makeshift Christmas  village and take pictures in the giant Christmas present light display or commemorative 2022 sign. Children decorated Gingerbread Houses while families enjoyed free cocoa provided by Blue Jacket staff.  The pinnacle of it all was the opportunity to take a picture with Santa who was there every evening of the market, many nights accompanied by Mrs. Claus.  

Vendor Huts in the Christmas village were created by a Leadership Fort Wayne-led group using Elevatus Architecture, Design Collaborative, Students at Memorial Park School and Amp Lab at Electric Works, FWCS Career Academy, and supported by NIPSCO and Greater Fort Wayne.  The huts had an eclectic, Charles Dickens-like design and held ten different vendors including Summit City Kettlecorn, Blue Tide by Jerri, Ruby Moon Floral Farm, Marked by HIStory, Sassie Cakes, Bakerson Pie Co, Madison Ave Chocolates, Lee Morgan Designs, and Struck By You Décor.    

“This event takes a long time to set up and tear down and takes a lot out of employees who manage the evenings away from their families,” said Hudson, “But we all appreciate what it does for our mission so much that we want to deliver the best experience for patrons.  We are blown away by the generosity of our patrons, and frankly, the joy we see in children’s faces makes the hard work worth it.” 

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Hi-resolution photos and video available for use through the following link. Please credit Blue Jacket, Inc. in all uses: https://bluejacketinc-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/ahudson_bluejacketinc_org/EktL5JuBWAVHsBDkMofRSQ4BsyEkmD_Sf1dBjYgMPffotQ?e=V9fSpI

About Blue Jacket Inc.
Blue Jacket's mission is to provide training and opportunities to anyone with a barrier who is striving to earn gainful employment. The organization, which opened its doors in 2005, envisions that anyone with a barrier to employment will be restored with hope and provided capacity to obtain and retain employment because of Blue Jacket’s vast network and resources of support. 

Sidebar
Interested in sponsoring a display or taking part in the event? 
There are many ways to sponsor this event for your business or in memory of someone you love.  From displays, to the village, to special new ideas for 2023, call Amy Shepherd at 260-744-1900 or email at [email protected] for more information.

Interested in being considered as a vendor for next year’s market? 
Contact Kelly Geiser at [email protected] or call 260-744-1900.