Celebration of Lights in La Salle to launch 5K under the lights

The first 5K to be held during the Celebration of Lights in La Salle will be on Sunday, Nov. 5.

Rotary Park will be filled with holiday light displays and joggers that evening, as participants kick off the Christmas season with a sneak peek of all the festive decorations. Shuttle buses will run from the Auditorium Ballroom, 109 Wright St., in downtown La Salle for the free race. The 5K will step off at 5:30 p.m. under the lights, with walkers beginning shortly after.

The Celebration Of Lights is the area’s largest drive-thru Christmas light display, stretching throughout Rotary Park on the east side of La Salle. Put on by the city of La Salle and local businesses, the Christmas celebration has expanded from 17 displays in 2012 to 365.

“We are very excited for this opportunity to have a fun run on our great pathways,” said La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove. “We’ve had questions in the past about hosting an event like this and we are super happy to launch this 5k this year before we open the park.”

The Celebration of Lights opens to vehicles on Friday, Nov. 10. Donations are accepted, and ornaments once again will be on sale. The official radio station of the Celebration of Lights, Classic Hits 106 - The Christmas Station, will also begin playing holiday favorites that same day. To find out more details about the “Run Run Rudolph 5K Fun Run,” visit the Facebook page for the Celebration of Lights.