Holiday Lights
Lighting up the McKenzie River every December, so the darkest weeks of the year bring neighbors together and give visitors a reason to come up the river.
The project in one minute
Seasonal. Volunteers run it every December; the 3rd annual Christmas Boat Parade is December 6, 2026.
Along Hwy 126 on the McKenzie River, including the Belknap and Goodpasture bridges and Leaburg Lake.
Residents of all ages, local businesses that host displays, and visitors who come up the river to see the lights.
Home and fiscal sponsor: Holiday Lights is a subcommittee of local volunteers working under MCP.
$5,000 to $15,000 a year for displays, bridge lighting and events.
Local businesses host the displays on their property, and neighbors volunteer their time.
A reason to gather in the dark months
Winters on the McKenzie are long, dark and quiet. Since the 2020 fire, many neighbors are scattered, and businesses feel the slow season hardest. Holiday Lights gives people a reason to come out: to see the bridges lit, line Leaburg Lake for the boat parade, and stop at local businesses along the way. It’s a small program with an outsized effect on how the river feels.
Neighbors doing it, MCP backing them
- It’s volunteer-led. Local volunteers plan the displays, the bridge lighting and the boat parade.
- MCP is the home base. We hold the funds, handle paperwork and promote the events, so volunteers can focus on the fun.
- Businesses are part of it. Displays go up on local business property along Hwy 126.
- Everyone’s welcome. The events are free to watch, and anyone can decorate a boat for the parade.
The plan grows with funding
Each phase stands on its own. Volunteers keep phase 0 going; funding is what makes the lights bigger and the events easier to run.
Lights, bridges and a boat parade
Every December: light displays along Hwy 126, the Belknap and Goodpasture bridges lit, holiday gatherings and the Christmas boat parade on Leaburg Lake.
Brighter and easier
- New and larger displays for business hosts
- Replacement lights and repairs
- Event costs: permits, insurance and supplies
- Promotion so more visitors come up the river
Lights that last
- Long-lasting LED displays
- Year-round storage for displays
- More bridge and town lighting along the corridor
- A volunteer crew with the tools to set up safely
Why this matters beyond one season
Neighbors reconnect
Shared traditions pull a scattered community back together.
Businesses get winter traffic
Visitors who come for the lights stop for food and gifts.
Kids remember it
Traditions like the boat parade make the river feel like home.
Easy to copy
Any small town can start with one lit bridge and a few volunteers.
Ways to help this project
MCP is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3). Gifts to this project go to lights, displays and events, and we report what changed.
Give any amount
Buys lights, replaces broken strands and covers event supplies.
Sponsor a display
Businesses can sponsor a display along Hwy 126, with credit on our site and in River Updates.
Fund the lights that last
Foundations and utilities can fund long-lasting LED displays and storage.
Results we’ll report
We want to see the river light up. So we’ll count what happens and report it here and in River Updates.
- Displays along Hwy 126
- Bridges lit
- Boats in the parade and people watching
- Volunteers involved
- Businesses hosting displays
So far: the bridges are lit each December, and the Christmas Boat Parade on Leaburg Lake reaches its 3rd year on December 6, 2026.
Before you give
Yes. McKenzie Community Partnership (McKenzie Community Development Corporation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax ID 93-1186618. Gifts are deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Yes. Note “Holiday Lights” with your gift and we’ll put it toward this program.
Holiday traditions in small towns come from neighbors, not agencies. MCP gives the volunteers a home so they can raise money and run events.
Volunteers still light what they can. More funding means bigger displays and easier events.
No. Gifts to Holiday Lights go to lights, displays and events, and the volunteers aren’t paid.
Yes: host or sponsor a display, decorate a boat, or volunteer to help set up. Contact us.