Park Agency Member Spotlight: Porter County Parks & Recreation

The Indiana Park and Recreation Association had the chance to discuss Porter County Parks & Recreation with its Marketing Director, Brooke Allen. Please continue reading below to learn more about Porter County Parks & Recreation.

What special events is your park agency known for? Please describe each one.

Each year, Porter County Parks hosts a Winter Lights Festival. This event features dozens of light displays, many of which have been made by the park maintenance staff. The event draws thousands of visitors to the park on the day of the festival, and hundreds more throughout the month of December when the lights are free to view each night. Participants at the Winter Lights Festival can take photos with Santa, decorate holiday cookies, enjoy bonfire s'mores, sip hot chocolate, sing holiday carols, and take wagon rides through the park to view the lights. The evening concludes with a fireworks display. The festival is made possible by local partners and sponsors. Because of their contributions, Porter County Parks keeps the cost of this event at only $5 per car, making it an affordable experience for families in our area. Each sponsor receives a holiday tree for decorating, and these trees stay up for families to see through New Year's. Sponsors can brand their trees, and we love seeing their creativity each year! 2018's Winter Lights Festival had a record number of 27 sponsors!