5K Run & 2 Mile Walk
November 9, 2024
Madison, WI

Holiday Fantasy in Lights is a Green Event

IBEW and NECA are pleased to report that the energy consumption at the Holiday Fantasy in Lights was reduced by 82% at the 2009 event. Going green has been a goal of IBEW and NECA for several years. We had been experimenting with a handful of displays and LED bulbs and in 2009, IBEW and NECA took steps to convert the entire light show to LED bulbs. This was a very large undertaking and required changing out over 15,000 bulbs and going forward, the event will only feature LED bulbs. The Committee felt that it was important for IBEW and NECA to make the investment of both time and money. We are seeing a large savings in the power bill and are also finding less maintenance and burn-out.

Another added bonus is that the LED bulbs allow us to turn the lights on each evening at dusk and off late at night after the traffic subsides. Previously with the incandescent bulbs, we were unable to do this because a large percentage of bulbs would burn out with each “flip of the switch.” So not only are we using less energy, but the lights are now on one-third of the time they were in the past.

Even with the savings we’ve gained, we still need the community’s support. IBEW and NECA could not hold this event year after year with out your donations, which can be made at the exit of the event, and the business community’s support through display sponsorships. This 6-week event requires maintenance, coordination, materials, and more. IBEW and NECA feel very fortunate to have been able to provide this FREE event to the Madison area community for 26 years now. We hope the community will continue to support the event and enjoy the event for years to come.