The annual lighting of the Indiana Memorial Union candles was held Thursday, once again transforming campus in time to celebrate the holidays at “Light Up the Night.” After the lights flickered on, the IMU parking lot filled with hundreds of students and community members all holding tiny red candles.
As heaters glowed and the smell of hot chocolate drifted through the air, bundled-up attendees walked through rows of vendors selling treats and handmade crafts. Nearby, crowds gathered to watch the evening’s three performers: The Crimsonettes, Ladies First A Cappella and the Bloomington Delta Music Club.
The night started with a performance by Ladies First A Cappella, IU’s all-female a cappella group, which gathered onstage to perform three songs: “Mary, Did You Know?,” “Santa Tell Me” and “What a Wonderful World.”
Abby White, business director of Ladies First A Cappella, said the night’s music drew from the group’s long-standing repertoire, songs that audiences consistently enjoy.
“It was really important for us to bring sort of a variety of Christmas music,” White said. “Some of the more classical side, others more pop based.”
White said the group has long been a fixture on campus during the holidays, having performed at “Light up the Night” at the IMU for years and singing at IU for 27 years. The group does nine hours of rehearsals a week to prepare for events such as this one.
To bring dance into the combo, the Crimsonettes, a student dance team, took over the stage, adding movement and high-energy choreography to the celebration. They performed two routines. The first was a short pom-style number set to Kelly Clarkson’s covers of the songs “Underneath the Tree” and “Run Run Rudolph,” bringing bursts of holiday cheer to the crowd. The second performance combined four short sequences into one longer routine.
Crimsonettes President Josie Koering said the team focuses on bringing liveliness to audiences.
“Performances add energy and excitement to an event,” Koering said. “They engage people, enhance the festive atmosphere and make the celebration feel more lively and memorable. For events like this, we believe dance brings a little extra sparkle and fun to the night.”
Beyond the performances, the holiday market offered another hub of cheer. Attendees wrapped in scarves and mittens waited in long lines for cups of hot chocolate, their breath visible in the cold air. Others wandered through the booths, browsing handmade pottery, knitwear, baked treats and other artisanal goods.
The booth “Arts by Sun” was at the event run by artist Sunny Sun, who creates anime artworks on glass and has been selling her work Esty for two years. Sun said events like this draw people out of their routines and into a shared community space of celebration. While also giving attendees a chance to find gifts for the upcoming holidays.
“I feel like when the weather is really cold and no one wants to go outside and socialize, this is a great way to plan for people to come outside, socialize and build community with everyone,” Sun said.
As the evening went on, groups of students and families drifted between the booths and the stage, pausing to warm their hands at heater stations. IU student Bashir Salisu, who attended the event, said he immediately felt the nostalgia in the air. With generators rumbling, twinkling lights overhead and holiday music drifting through the space, Salisu spent the evening enjoying time with friends.
“It’s tradition, Salisu said. “Music keeps the spirits up, everything you integrate music into always works, people love it."
