CFC Properties lights the trees and buildings. Cassady Electric, Downtown Bloomington Inc. and Monroe County pitch in for the canopy. The City of Bloomington is in charge of the snowflakes, and IU provides the evergreen swags and red ribbons, according to Talisha Coppock, the executive director of Downtown Bloomington Inc.
She said more than 30 businesses in downtown Bloomington support the lighting program.
It takes eight people to hang the strands of more than 200,000 bulbs from the trees and the Monroe County Courthouse roof, according to CFC Properties President Jim Murphy.
Between 5,000 and 8,000 people typically attend the lighting ceremony during Thanksgiving weekend.
Though the lights are only turned on during the holiday season, they remain in place throughout the year.
The strings of lights are replaced every four years.
Coppock said the lights are meant to bring people downtown, revitatlize the area and celebrate the holidays as a community.
Annie Garau
