Local Traditions: Jolly Holiday Lights

Every year during the Holiday season, communities and businesses come together to create fun, creative, and wonderful displays all throughout Des Moines. 

Jolly Holiday Lights is a drive-through holiday light display created by Make-A-Wish Iowa. “What began as a small event in 1996 at Water Works Park grew to our chapter’s largest fundraiser,” claimed Make-A-Wish. This organization has raised enough money to grant more than 1,000 wishes to Iowa kids. “The event funds, on average, 80 wishes to children with a critical illness each year. It continues to be our largest fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Iowa,” stated Make- A- Wish and Jolly Holiday Lights. These Jolly Holiday Light shows each year bring in money to fund kids with major illnesses and in just one season of the light shows themselves, there is enough money raised for 80 kids.

Make a wish foundation puts these wonderful light displays together every year at Adventureland in Altoona Iowa. It opens on November 25th and goes until January 1st, all 7 days of the week, but closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. This light show starts at 5:30pm and ends at 10 pm. They show a 2.5 mile ride through the lights.

Make-A-Wish Foundation is for children diagnosed with critical illnesses, this gives them a wish that can come true which could be an inspiring/turning point in these children’s lives. Just a simple wish, could be their whole dream that comes to life. This can be that spark that helps these children believe that anything is possible and gives them the strength to fight harder against their illnesses. Make-A-Wish Foundation’s original inspiration was to a 7-year-old boy from Phoenix, Arizona, battling leukemia whose wish was to become a police officer in 1980. His community came together to make his wish come true. 

Make A Wish Foundation is not the only light show in town. There are a lot of businesses throughout Des Moines that put together these wonderful light displays as well. Santa’s Rock N Lights at Living History Farms is a fun and festive way to dance and listen to music while looking at some amazing light displays. With more light displays and shows around the Des Moines metro, local businesses also give the make a wish program a chance to gain donations for the lights and children.

Today, Make-A-Wish has granted hundreds of thousands of life-changing wishes to children battling critical illnesses. Wishes that give families hope through hard and dark times, strength to persevere and experiences that forever change their lives.