November 11, 2024 • 22 mins
On the latest edition of ACF 411 from the Central District we preview "Brights Lights" sponsored by Mercy Health which is coming to the Fairgrounds for the holiday season!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Well, welcome to a holiday edition of ACF for one
one the Allen County Fairgrounds telling you what's going on,
and it's powered of course by nutrients. So we want
to thank them. But we've got a couple of very
special guests, and you know that we're back to the
podcast studio at the Central District Climate, so we want
to thank them for letting us in here. During the fair.
You know, we were in the milking parlor and that
was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
It was pretty neat experience, and it's pretty neat with
the milking parlor. Happened those big glass windows. It actually
drew quite a bit of traffic during the fare while
you were airing these.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Yeah, so we had fun. So this is going to
be a regular thing. We'll come to you at least
every couple of months tell you what's going on at
the fair grounds. So what's going on at the fair grounds?
I have Troy Ller, the fair manager, with me and
Ronda Layman, who's the president a Mercy Health Saint read it.
So we have a big wig in here. Troy, try
to be here soon.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Ras and Troy love to So the big question is,
so what is going on? At the fair Grounds right now.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yes, so we are in full preparations mode for our
fifth annual Mercy Health Bright Nights at the Island County Fairgrounds.
It is a Christmas light displayed drive through. For those
that don't know too much about it, I don't want
to give away too much because I'm sure you've got
lots of questions about it, but that's the broad scope
of what it is.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
So I think i'll ask you right here. It's going
off the top, and then we'll get back to it
again and we'll hit it a couple of times. But
dates and times when can you go out and see this?
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
So our first night is actually Saturday, November thirtieth. Every
night that we're open, it runs from six pm to
nine pm. Our schedule is on our website. It's also
on our social media pages. But we will be open
every Friday, Saturday and Sunday leading up to the weekend
before Christmas because we the Christmas falls on a Wednesday
(01:48):
this year, so that stretch will actually be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
Monday Tuesday, which would be Christmas.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Even our final.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Night excellent and what's the cause to get in?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
It's ten dollars per vehicle and what many folks don't know,
but we offer this opportunity for businesses in the community
as a way to kind of award their employees or
to add on to kind of their Christmas gift or
Christmas bonus for the year. We offer discount ticket opportunities
if they want to purchase tickets from us in balk All.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Right, so it's ten dollars per vehicle. So if we
want to tie aunt Edna to the roof.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
She's just part of the whole ten dollar thing, right,
We'll just turn a blind eye.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Yeah, Ron, just like, oh, it's going to be one
of those kind of interviews.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
It's all good.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So so Randa, I heard a rumor, oh boy, that
the whole Bright Nights thing was born in a parking lot.
Is that true?
Speaker 5 (02:42):
It is true, you know, as as Troy mentioned, this
is the fifth year, so it doesn't take a genius
to flip back and realize we started this during COVID.
Really is an idea of there was so many activities
that you're canceled, so many events that people missed out
on and were not able to see, you know, the
owen U Holiday Spectacular, all kinds of things that were
(03:03):
kind of community traditions that weren't present, and so yes.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
This idea was surfaced.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
And really, I mean it took about a heartbeat to
decide this would be a really fun, amazing way to
allow our community to really feel the Christmas spirit, to
give them an activity to get out and do together
with the family. You know, it was you know, it
was certainly a safe option. Then well it's a safe
option now too, And it's just a fun tradition.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
It is fun. And I remember that first year because
we did exactly what Troy was talking about. We got
some tickets for our employees because again, people were just
so tired of being stuck home or stuck in you know,
isolation sort of during COVID there was a chance as
a family at least you could go out and do
something to enjoy the holidays as a family. And it's
just grown from that and I think it's incredible. And
(03:49):
so let's talk about the growth. I mean, you're in
year five. Every year it seems like it gets bigger
and bigger. It takes me longer and longer to drive through,
which I guess it's neat. Lots of lights, so I'll
put either one of you want to tell me how
how has it grown over the last four or five.
If people went that first year, they haven't been back.
What's different?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yes, So, first and foremost, a lot of this growth
is attributed to the continued support of Mercy Health. Not
only did they kind of lift us off the ground
and get us started with a massive donation to purchase displays,
purchase drop cords, pay our people to get the event
where it needs to be and fully functional, but we've
(04:28):
also incorporated a new element where businesses or families in
the community can actually sponsor specific displays on the route,
either sponsor and existing display that we already had, or
they can sponsor to purchase a new display, whether that's
customer from one of our distributors in Indiana or Tennessee.
So with that growth, we've had now thirty three businesses
(04:52):
or families that have tied into this.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Adding to the route.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
And then the ag Society has also purchased to add
to plaze to the route as well. So we'll have
a brand new route this year, and for the first
time ever, it'll be a little over a mile long,
so it'll now be one point one miles and I
believe it will take you close to a half hour
to drive through, depending up on how fast you drive.
I know, Russ you're a little interesting when it comes
(05:17):
to your driving abilities, but yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Uh, no driving convictions.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Now what night are you going again? So I can
be sure that.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Ronda, did I miss anything there on growth?
Speaker 5 (05:30):
No, you were talking about how far how long it
takes to get through, and I was just thinking to myself, geez,
I need to make sure how to just turn my
parking lights on, because if you're like me, our vehicles
just like keep your lights on and you're gonna pull
up and they're going to say, hey, just parking lights only,
So that might take you a minute just to make
sure you know what you're doing and get started.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
It is.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
We've found pretty quickly that for the people that we
have work bright nights throughout the nights we're open. I've
worked at a couple of times as well. We've actually
had to like reach in people's cars and help them
because they don't know how to turn them.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
And I appreciated that.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
You know, one of the fun things about the display
that I love because you know, we appreciate Troy and
your kind words there.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
But you guys bring it to life and that is
so awesome.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
The fair is such a big part of so many
of our lives in this community, and for many of us,
we have grown up going to the fair, so you
know where the horse barns at and the cattle.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Barn, and where the fire trucks are at, and there's things.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
So I love love how they have coordinated a lot
of the displays to kind of align with those things.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
So if you're an outsider, you're gonna love it. If
you're an insider, you're gonna think it's pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
So how they have coordinated some of those different displays
to be strategically placed where the fair highlights that particular theme,
and I love that.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
You know, the one I really liked last year was
Poor Jack's and they've got the roller coaster and it's like, oh, yeah,
this is the fair because it was great. Yeah, it
just gives you a really good vibe.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
It does.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Actually, I think both of you probably noticed it. But
a way to try to showcase that event, promote it,
and continue to grow it, we've actually been setting up
displays during the fair itself with some of our open
vendor space that we have just to get some exposure
for the event. And also a couple of those sponsors,
like you referred to Poor Jacks. As part of their
(07:22):
sponsorship ship agreement, they get a vehicle pass every year
and they haven't had the opportunity to ever use it
because they're in Indiana and they're busy and everything else.
So the fact that they got to see their display
set up for the first time during the fair was
pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Nice you mentioned ongoing advertisement for it. Again, I get
surprised too, and I absolutely love it because if you've
been to the Allen County Fair Parade, not unlike the
Macy's Parade, the last thing at Thanksgiving is what it's
Santa Claus, Well.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Thank you that.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Just went down the hallway.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
The last float, if you will, in the Allen County
Fair Parade is the Bright Night's advertisement with Santa And
that's so fun because you know, we're not thinking about
Christmas quite yet at that time of year. But between
that and what displays the fair has just to kind
of have a little teaser gets everybody pretty excited for
the event that's yet to come.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
You know, you talk about Santa and his sleigh. Do
you know how much you paid for that sleigh?
Speaker 4 (08:18):
It's probably gonna be a corny joke on.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
The other end of this nothing. It was on the house,
and Troy knew I couldn't get through a podcast without
throwing in something pretty stupid.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Wouldn't have it any other way, Rona.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Did you know he gets all of his jokes off
of laffy taffy wrappers?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Does he?
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Excellent?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Soon piled up on his desk on Network.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
So okay, So one more so, what do snowmen call
their offspring children?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
That's fantastic, Alex, can you cueue up a cricket noise?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Before long? Troy's little one is going to be old
enough to appreciate.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Right, and I'll sell these to you for the right press.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yes, well, she'll probably be exhibiting in another year.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
As soon as we get her on a feet where
we're going to try to get us a show stick
in her hands, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
It should be the youngest ever exhibitor, at like one
and a half years old, out there poking a here
you go big all right.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
She won't be scared of them, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
So let's talk about this year. I know every year
you try to have some new nuances and change things
a little bit. So what's what's coming on.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yes, so we've got a pretty cool partnership thanks to Nutrient.
This year we are offering something brand new and that
is we are going to be implementing Christmas Caroling as
part of the route. That Christmas Caroling will be taking
place on the Nutrient Plaza stage, which is already part.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Of our route.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
What's really cool about that opportunity in that partnership is
we're not looking for professionals here. We're not looking necessarily
for It's great if they want to. We're not necessarily
looking for bands, it's great if they want to. But
really it's just a fun, unique fund raising opportunity for
a soccer team, a group of friends. You're trying to
(10:12):
raise for a certain cause. So throughout the nights we're
going to do this on every Friday and Saturday, groups
have the opportunity to reach out to me and sign
up for a night. They can pick one, two or
the full three hours and then they receive a donation
from the Fairgrounds for their services.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Right so they can they're making basically one hundred bucks
an hour, yep, which is our thought was when we
started to brainstorm this was it's kind of like a
car wash, except you know, it's easier, I think, and
and we've tried to figure out a way because as
a company, we could only donate to five to one
C three's and we wanted to be able to have
a broader reach than that. So by donating to the
(10:53):
Egg Society, then they can write a check to a
particular four age club or a soccer team that's out there,
and so we get around that, and so we can
so anybody can come out. So if you've got you know,
five people in your neighborhood and you're like trying to
raise the money to do something that's cool, give Troy
a call at the fair Grounds and then he'll try.
(11:13):
I think it'll be cool to have some live Carolyn
going on because I can't wait.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Now, Russ, what night will you be singing? I just
want to be sure I get there that night.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Well, you know, I wanted to like kick the whole
thing off, and then Troy asked me not to.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Ronda. The point of Carolyn.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Sing and usould be there.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
I can sing, That's what I've heard you want to
give us a testment negative.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Russ, Do you care real quick?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I know I've already shared it with you, but I
want to share a quick story that Ronda hasn't heard
yet about the traffic we're seeing so far.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Is that okay?
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Absolutely cool?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
So we went live on our social media a couple
of days ago advertising this opportunity, and we've already had
now five different groups reach out interested looking for a night,
but one in particular, it's already on our books. It's
actually a mother that reached out to me and her
family is currently working on fundraising opportunities because they are
(12:10):
wanting to adopt a baby girl, and the funds that
they need to do that process they do not have currently.
So her, one of her adopted daughters that she's already adopted,
and some of their friends are going to take one
of the nights and use this as a fundraising opportunity
to adopt a little girl.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So wow, that's incredible.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
I think I think it's pretty cool. And we both
have a connection to Ohio Northern.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Definitely, and I think their volleyball team is going to
come over. Oh that's fun.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
I just think that, and that's what we really wanted,
was not necessarily a choir, but just friends out caroling,
which is what I remember growing up. We used to
do that.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Aren't you still carols?
Speaker 5 (12:48):
I mean there's not a bunch of great singers in there,
but we get together, we go house to house and
we Christmas carol every year.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
I think it's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
It's fun, very cool.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
You know, you were talking as you were talking to
Trier's thinking about one of the other aspects of Bright
Nights that we haven't talked about. But I'll be honest
when you mentioned your website, I've been looking at the
crew necks because I feel like it's time I got
a Bright Night's crew neck and really celebrated it. So
I think there's some really fun swag you guys have
on your website.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
I'm so glad you plugged that.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Rone your orders. Yes, I'm a size, I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
Per let me write that down and I'm not. Yeah, No,
we have we have as one of our main tabs
on our on our website.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
It's called our ACF merch Store that includes I'm gonna
call it just general fair swag for lack of better terms,
and then it's got a whole element where everything is
themed mercy, health, bright nights. We have uh sweatshirts, we
have crew necks, we have T shirts, we have long sleeves,
we have winter beanies with the little ball.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
On the top. I mean like we got one of those. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
There, there's a lot of cool swag on there. So
get on the site sooner rather than later. Because it
is about two to three week period from when you
order to when the material will actually come in. You
have the opportunity to either have it shipped directly to
you or you can have it shipped to the fair
Grounds free of charge, and then you can come to
our office to pick it up. And what's that website again,
(14:16):
www dot alanco fair dot com.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
All right, I mean they'd be great Christmas presents, right absolutely,
Or if you're coming to carol or right to have
your beanie on you are ready.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
For the occasion.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
In fact, do you know what the best Christmas present is?
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Boy, another corner joke.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
There we go.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
It's a broken drum. You can't beat it, and I'm
a drummer.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
So does the deal with this?
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Can we cut his mic?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
She has a great sense of humor. So so we're
talking about we're talking about all the swag, we're talking
about you know, it's ten bucks a car to get in,
and it's it's the weekends. It's Friday, Saturday, Sunday leading
up all all month from now well from Thanksgiving to
Christmas Eve? Right, where does the money go?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Yeah, so it's it's kind of interesting. So the originally
the Fairgrounds, a majority of the funds was going like
directly back into the event to help it grow. But
really the way we look at this event now is
that it really is a community event and what it's
grown into in my opinion, and I think Ronda's as well,
(15:32):
let her speak to it, but we really wanted to
establish a holiday tradition, some way to give back to
the community, and obviously Mercy was a big part of that.
But essentially most of the funds that, I mean, that's
truly what they're used for. They're either to pay our
full time maintenance staff to make it come to life.
I mean, we have a lot of volunteers that help
(15:54):
us obviously set it up, but it's to pay them.
It's to purchase new displays, and it's to maintain the
current displays that we have on the route because I
don't know if you guys have ever dealt with Christmas
lights before, but when you store them and get them
out the next year, half of them never seem like
they want to ever work.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
And I'm guessing the electric bill is plenty at the
end of this season too.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, you are exactly right, and the electric bill is
a big part of that.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
I will tell you what's nice.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Though, with these distributors that we use, ninety nine percent
of the lights on our route are LED lights and
they are extremely efficient, so that definitely helps the bottom line.
We try to stay away from anything incandescent because that can.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Drive the price up pretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
But our maintenance staff has really figured out a science
to this thing, to where they have almost all of
our lights on timers, so when we're done for the night,
those guys aren't having to go drive the whole route
and unplug everything and then having to replug it in
the next day. Rather, they basically they have it so
downpath that they can point it at a section and
(16:53):
it'll shut down in the next thirty seconds, kind of
like what you see on Home Alone with the sticky
bandits were talking about Christmas lights turning on and off houses.
But yeah, no, overall, that's I mean, that's really and
truly what this event is. And as long as it
continues to grow, I think the community will continue to
buy into it.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
And so I'm gonna I just want to, you know,
congratulate mercy because I think it started as a great
idea and it's turned into a community tradition. I think
people expect it's like, oh, yeah, don't forget, we haven't
seen the light sheet, let's run out to the fair ground. Well,
what I guess motivated you guys to do that. I
mean it's I you do with so much in the community.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
But this is neat this is nutrient telling me this too.
So yeah, we mean right back at you. Because there's
there's a lot of really great community sponsors, supporters. I
think that, you know, the fair itself is kind of
near and dear to the heart of the community. We
believe in the health of our community, and we know
that there's just a lot of good things that can
come out of programs and things that the Allen County
(17:52):
Fair encourages.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So you know, it was a great idea.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
I don't take credit for it, but really just blessed
to be able to work with such an amazing team
to bring it to life. You know, as Troy was
talking about unplugging those lights, I had to chuckle to myself.
You know, when the fair is going up and that's
my route to work and I start seeing that stuff
go up, I get really excited. Even if I'm not
pulling into the fair right then. You know, maybe i'll
(18:17):
be back later that night, but I get excited to
see it. And the same is true with bright nights,
even if that's not the night I'm driving through it.
When I go to town and see it lit up and
see the line of cars, I get excited because I
know people are being blessed by that, and so I
think it just that light shines even brighter than just
right there on that site for the people that start
(18:38):
surrounding the community and driving in and out.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Of our community to see that and what it represents.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
You know, what's neat about it too, is you don't
see anybody driving, you know, when you're passing cars or something.
Everybody's smiling. Everybody's enjoying the holiday, and they're doing it
as a family, which I think is there aren't that
many things anymore that get to do as a family
or car load of friends or whatever. So it's it's
just super super cool. Give me the dates again, and
(19:04):
let's talk about how you even get in. You don't
want us to come in off one seventeen, right, yeah, no,
not one seventeen.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
You might do some damage if you do that, but no,
So where you'll come in at We have everybody come
in off of three oh nine down our main boulevard
and you literally can't miss it. We purposely line that
driveway with pole mounted snowflakes and things of that nature
that kind of develop the alley way leading up to
our entrance. As you pull down the main boulevard, you'll
(19:33):
notice there are red directional arrows that are also Christmas
lights that kind of direct you where you need to go.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
And it's the same way through the whole path.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
But once you've pulled in the main boulevard, you'll turn
left before the Posse building, wrap around the Posse Building,
and then we will have a big archway set up
with one of our extravagant displays in a ticket booths
sitting right there. You pay your ten dollars, tune into
the radio station and you can listen to That's one.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Thing we didn't talk about.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Yes, we have another great partner in the community of
the limas Anphony Orchestra, and they give us their bank
of Christmas music to basically play on a loop as
people drive through their out.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I'm glad you brought that up because I just told
you the whole mounted snowflakes.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
I love that. I haven't used that term all week.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
No, I see if geryld will put some whole mounted
snowflakes up my driveway this year.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
This sounds great.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
You know, I might just text him after this and
say I've got the perfect Christmas gift for Rona.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
And you can give it to her early, because yeah,
so you're going to be coming home and he'll be
putting those up that All right, we go, We're ready
to go. So it's from Thanksgiving up to Christmas Eve.
Every Wednesday, Thursday, oh sorry, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. They can
come out to the fairgrounds and enjoy bright nights. Right,
there's ten bucks of car even with Edna.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
On the roof.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Yes, and I should plug two I heart, iHeart. Will
actually be doing a couple of live broadcasts. I believe
Rowdy Iran will bejoining us for a couple of those
live broadcasts. He always does a wonderful job. He's done
it the last couple of years. Or him and I
get to chat a little bit, he interacts with the
people driving through. They just absolutely love it and it
takes the event to another level.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Well, when we saw the big jolly guy walk down
the hallway here, just is he going to be out
there as well?
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yes, so there will be select nights where Santa will
be making appearances.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
And we've even figured out a way, I think, to.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Where we're going to incorporate his workshop onto our route somehow,
so he may not be at the beginning, he may
not be at the end, be on the lookout. We
don't want Santa hit before Christmas either, so no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
And of course, you know, you know his favorite place
to deliver presents.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
I feel like the reason he's asking me these questions
is because he's setting them.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
He's putting them on a tee. No, what is it?
Speaker 1 (21:48):
It's Ohio, all right, I made that one up. I
didn't get that off the joke.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
You know, these are just courtesy laughs, right, I know?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
And now next time we'll have Alex ad a laugh
tracked like they do on TV, and we everybody liked
that one. Yeah, all right, so Alex. We do want
to thank Alex will Ffi, our engineer, for helping us
make this podcast work today. Troy Elwer from The Fair
and Ronda Lehman from Mercy Health, thanks for joining us
in the podcast and join us again real soon.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Thanks,
Well, welcome to a holiday edition of ACF for one
one the Allen County Fairgrounds telling you what's going on,
and it's powered of course by nutrients. So we want
to thank them. But we've got a couple of very
special guests, and you know that we're back to the
podcast studio at the Central District Climate, so we want
to thank them for letting us in here. During the fair.
You know, we were in the milking parlor and that
was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
It was pretty neat experience, and it's pretty neat with
the milking parlor. Happened those big glass windows. It actually
drew quite a bit of traffic during the fare while
you were airing these.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Yeah, so we had fun. So this is going to
be a regular thing. We'll come to you at least
every couple of months tell you what's going on at
the fair grounds. So what's going on at the fair grounds?
I have Troy Ller, the fair manager, with me and
Ronda Layman, who's the president a Mercy Health Saint read it.
So we have a big wig in here. Troy, try
to be here soon.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Ras and Troy love to So the big question is,
so what is going on? At the fair Grounds right now.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yes, so we are in full preparations mode for our
fifth annual Mercy Health Bright Nights at the Island County Fairgrounds.
It is a Christmas light displayed drive through. For those
that don't know too much about it, I don't want
to give away too much because I'm sure you've got
lots of questions about it, but that's the broad scope
of what it is.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
So I think i'll ask you right here. It's going
off the top, and then we'll get back to it
again and we'll hit it a couple of times. But
dates and times when can you go out and see this?
Speaker 4 (01:25):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
So our first night is actually Saturday, November thirtieth. Every
night that we're open, it runs from six pm to
nine pm. Our schedule is on our website. It's also
on our social media pages. But we will be open
every Friday, Saturday and Sunday leading up to the weekend
before Christmas because we the Christmas falls on a Wednesday
(01:48):
this year, so that stretch will actually be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
Monday Tuesday, which would be Christmas.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Even our final.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Night excellent and what's the cause to get in?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
It's ten dollars per vehicle and what many folks don't know,
but we offer this opportunity for businesses in the community
as a way to kind of award their employees or
to add on to kind of their Christmas gift or
Christmas bonus for the year. We offer discount ticket opportunities
if they want to purchase tickets from us in balk All.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Right, so it's ten dollars per vehicle. So if we
want to tie aunt Edna to the roof.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
She's just part of the whole ten dollar thing, right,
We'll just turn a blind eye.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Yeah, Ron, just like, oh, it's going to be one
of those kind of interviews.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
It's all good.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So so Randa, I heard a rumor, oh boy, that
the whole Bright Nights thing was born in a parking lot.
Is that true?
Speaker 5 (02:42):
It is true, you know, as as Troy mentioned, this
is the fifth year, so it doesn't take a genius
to flip back and realize we started this during COVID.
Really is an idea of there was so many activities
that you're canceled, so many events that people missed out
on and were not able to see, you know, the
owen U Holiday Spectacular, all kinds of things that were
(03:03):
kind of community traditions that weren't present, and so yes.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
This idea was surfaced.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
And really, I mean it took about a heartbeat to
decide this would be a really fun, amazing way to
allow our community to really feel the Christmas spirit, to
give them an activity to get out and do together
with the family. You know, it was you know, it
was certainly a safe option. Then well it's a safe
option now too, And it's just a fun tradition.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
It is fun. And I remember that first year because
we did exactly what Troy was talking about. We got
some tickets for our employees because again, people were just
so tired of being stuck home or stuck in you know,
isolation sort of during COVID there was a chance as
a family at least you could go out and do
something to enjoy the holidays as a family. And it's
just grown from that and I think it's incredible. And
(03:49):
so let's talk about the growth. I mean, you're in
year five. Every year it seems like it gets bigger
and bigger. It takes me longer and longer to drive through,
which I guess it's neat. Lots of lights, so I'll
put either one of you want to tell me how
how has it grown over the last four or five.
If people went that first year, they haven't been back.
What's different?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yes, So, first and foremost, a lot of this growth
is attributed to the continued support of Mercy Health. Not
only did they kind of lift us off the ground
and get us started with a massive donation to purchase displays,
purchase drop cords, pay our people to get the event
where it needs to be and fully functional, but we've
(04:28):
also incorporated a new element where businesses or families in
the community can actually sponsor specific displays on the route,
either sponsor and existing display that we already had, or
they can sponsor to purchase a new display, whether that's
customer from one of our distributors in Indiana or Tennessee.
So with that growth, we've had now thirty three businesses
(04:52):
or families that have tied into this.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Adding to the route.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
And then the ag Society has also purchased to add
to plaze to the route as well. So we'll have
a brand new route this year, and for the first
time ever, it'll be a little over a mile long,
so it'll now be one point one miles and I
believe it will take you close to a half hour
to drive through, depending up on how fast you drive.
I know, Russ you're a little interesting when it comes
(05:17):
to your driving abilities, but yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Uh, no driving convictions.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Now what night are you going again? So I can
be sure that.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Ronda, did I miss anything there on growth?
Speaker 5 (05:30):
No, you were talking about how far how long it
takes to get through, and I was just thinking to myself, geez,
I need to make sure how to just turn my
parking lights on, because if you're like me, our vehicles
just like keep your lights on and you're gonna pull
up and they're going to say, hey, just parking lights only,
So that might take you a minute just to make
sure you know what you're doing and get started.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
It is.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
We've found pretty quickly that for the people that we
have work bright nights throughout the nights we're open. I've
worked at a couple of times as well. We've actually
had to like reach in people's cars and help them
because they don't know how to turn them.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
And I appreciated that.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
You know, one of the fun things about the display
that I love because you know, we appreciate Troy and
your kind words there.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
But you guys bring it to life and that is
so awesome.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
The fair is such a big part of so many
of our lives in this community, and for many of us,
we have grown up going to the fair, so you
know where the horse barns at and the cattle.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Barn, and where the fire trucks are at, and there's things.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
So I love love how they have coordinated a lot
of the displays to kind of align with those things.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
So if you're an outsider, you're gonna love it. If
you're an insider, you're gonna think it's pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
So how they have coordinated some of those different displays
to be strategically placed where the fair highlights that particular theme,
and I love that.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
You know, the one I really liked last year was
Poor Jack's and they've got the roller coaster and it's like, oh, yeah,
this is the fair because it was great. Yeah, it
just gives you a really good vibe.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
It does.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Actually, I think both of you probably noticed it. But
a way to try to showcase that event, promote it,
and continue to grow it, we've actually been setting up
displays during the fair itself with some of our open
vendor space that we have just to get some exposure
for the event. And also a couple of those sponsors,
like you referred to Poor Jacks. As part of their
(07:22):
sponsorship ship agreement, they get a vehicle pass every year
and they haven't had the opportunity to ever use it
because they're in Indiana and they're busy and everything else.
So the fact that they got to see their display
set up for the first time during the fair was
pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Nice you mentioned ongoing advertisement for it. Again, I get
surprised too, and I absolutely love it because if you've
been to the Allen County Fair Parade, not unlike the
Macy's Parade, the last thing at Thanksgiving is what it's
Santa Claus, Well.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Thank you that.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Just went down the hallway.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
The last float, if you will, in the Allen County
Fair Parade is the Bright Night's advertisement with Santa And
that's so fun because you know, we're not thinking about
Christmas quite yet at that time of year. But between
that and what displays the fair has just to kind
of have a little teaser gets everybody pretty excited for
the event that's yet to come.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
You know, you talk about Santa and his sleigh. Do
you know how much you paid for that sleigh?
Speaker 4 (08:18):
It's probably gonna be a corny joke on.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
The other end of this nothing. It was on the house,
and Troy knew I couldn't get through a podcast without
throwing in something pretty stupid.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Wouldn't have it any other way, Rona.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Did you know he gets all of his jokes off
of laffy taffy wrappers?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Does he?
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Excellent?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Soon piled up on his desk on Network.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
So okay, So one more so, what do snowmen call
their offspring children?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
That's fantastic, Alex, can you cueue up a cricket noise?
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Before long? Troy's little one is going to be old
enough to appreciate.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Right, and I'll sell these to you for the right press.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yes, well, she'll probably be exhibiting in another year.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
As soon as we get her on a feet where
we're going to try to get us a show stick
in her hands, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
It should be the youngest ever exhibitor, at like one
and a half years old, out there poking a here
you go big all right.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
She won't be scared of them, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
So let's talk about this year. I know every year
you try to have some new nuances and change things
a little bit. So what's what's coming on.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yes, so we've got a pretty cool partnership thanks to Nutrient.
This year we are offering something brand new and that
is we are going to be implementing Christmas Caroling as
part of the route. That Christmas Caroling will be taking
place on the Nutrient Plaza stage, which is already part.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Of our route.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
What's really cool about that opportunity in that partnership is
we're not looking for professionals here. We're not looking necessarily
for It's great if they want to. We're not necessarily
looking for bands, it's great if they want to. But
really it's just a fun, unique fund raising opportunity for
a soccer team, a group of friends. You're trying to
(10:12):
raise for a certain cause. So throughout the nights we're
going to do this on every Friday and Saturday, groups
have the opportunity to reach out to me and sign
up for a night. They can pick one, two or
the full three hours and then they receive a donation
from the Fairgrounds for their services.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Right so they can they're making basically one hundred bucks
an hour, yep, which is our thought was when we
started to brainstorm this was it's kind of like a
car wash, except you know, it's easier, I think, and
and we've tried to figure out a way because as
a company, we could only donate to five to one
C three's and we wanted to be able to have
a broader reach than that. So by donating to the
(10:53):
Egg Society, then they can write a check to a
particular four age club or a soccer team that's out there,
and so we get around that, and so we can
so anybody can come out. So if you've got you know,
five people in your neighborhood and you're like trying to
raise the money to do something that's cool, give Troy
a call at the fair Grounds and then he'll try.
(11:13):
I think it'll be cool to have some live Carolyn
going on because I can't wait.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Now, Russ, what night will you be singing? I just
want to be sure I get there that night.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Well, you know, I wanted to like kick the whole
thing off, and then Troy asked me not to.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Ronda. The point of Carolyn.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Sing and usould be there.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
I can sing, That's what I've heard you want to
give us a testment negative.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Russ, Do you care real quick?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I know I've already shared it with you, but I
want to share a quick story that Ronda hasn't heard
yet about the traffic we're seeing so far.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Is that okay?
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Absolutely cool?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
So we went live on our social media a couple
of days ago advertising this opportunity, and we've already had
now five different groups reach out interested looking for a night,
but one in particular, it's already on our books. It's
actually a mother that reached out to me and her
family is currently working on fundraising opportunities because they are
(12:10):
wanting to adopt a baby girl, and the funds that
they need to do that process they do not have currently.
So her, one of her adopted daughters that she's already adopted,
and some of their friends are going to take one
of the nights and use this as a fundraising opportunity
to adopt a little girl.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So wow, that's incredible.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
I think I think it's pretty cool. And we both
have a connection to Ohio Northern.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
Definitely, and I think their volleyball team is going to
come over. Oh that's fun.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
I just think that, and that's what we really wanted,
was not necessarily a choir, but just friends out caroling,
which is what I remember growing up. We used to
do that.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Aren't you still carols?
Speaker 5 (12:48):
I mean there's not a bunch of great singers in there,
but we get together, we go house to house and
we Christmas carol every year.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
I think it's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
It's fun, very cool.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
You know, you were talking as you were talking to
Trier's thinking about one of the other aspects of Bright
Nights that we haven't talked about. But I'll be honest
when you mentioned your website, I've been looking at the
crew necks because I feel like it's time I got
a Bright Night's crew neck and really celebrated it. So
I think there's some really fun swag you guys have
on your website.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
I'm so glad you plugged that.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Rone your orders. Yes, I'm a size, I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
Per let me write that down and I'm not. Yeah, No,
we have we have as one of our main tabs
on our on our website.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
It's called our ACF merch Store that includes I'm gonna
call it just general fair swag for lack of better terms,
and then it's got a whole element where everything is
themed mercy, health, bright nights. We have uh sweatshirts, we
have crew necks, we have T shirts, we have long sleeves,
we have winter beanies with the little ball.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
On the top. I mean like we got one of those. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
There, there's a lot of cool swag on there. So
get on the site sooner rather than later. Because it
is about two to three week period from when you
order to when the material will actually come in. You
have the opportunity to either have it shipped directly to
you or you can have it shipped to the fair
Grounds free of charge, and then you can come to
our office to pick it up. And what's that website again,
(14:16):
www dot alanco fair dot com.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
All right, I mean they'd be great Christmas presents, right absolutely,
Or if you're coming to carol or right to have
your beanie on you are ready.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
For the occasion.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
In fact, do you know what the best Christmas present is?
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Boy, another corner joke.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
There we go.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
It's a broken drum. You can't beat it, and I'm
a drummer.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
So does the deal with this?
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Can we cut his mic?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
She has a great sense of humor. So so we're
talking about we're talking about all the swag, we're talking
about you know, it's ten bucks a car to get in,
and it's it's the weekends. It's Friday, Saturday, Sunday leading
up all all month from now well from Thanksgiving to
Christmas Eve? Right, where does the money go?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Yeah, so it's it's kind of interesting. So the originally
the Fairgrounds, a majority of the funds was going like
directly back into the event to help it grow. But
really the way we look at this event now is
that it really is a community event and what it's
grown into in my opinion, and I think Ronda's as well,
(15:32):
let her speak to it, but we really wanted to
establish a holiday tradition, some way to give back to
the community, and obviously Mercy was a big part of that.
But essentially most of the funds that, I mean, that's
truly what they're used for. They're either to pay our
full time maintenance staff to make it come to life.
I mean, we have a lot of volunteers that help
(15:54):
us obviously set it up, but it's to pay them.
It's to purchase new displays, and it's to maintain the
current displays that we have on the route because I
don't know if you guys have ever dealt with Christmas
lights before, but when you store them and get them
out the next year, half of them never seem like
they want to ever work.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
And I'm guessing the electric bill is plenty at the
end of this season too.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, you are exactly right, and the electric bill is
a big part of that.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
I will tell you what's nice.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Though, with these distributors that we use, ninety nine percent
of the lights on our route are LED lights and
they are extremely efficient, so that definitely helps the bottom line.
We try to stay away from anything incandescent because that can.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Drive the price up pretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
But our maintenance staff has really figured out a science
to this thing, to where they have almost all of
our lights on timers, so when we're done for the night,
those guys aren't having to go drive the whole route
and unplug everything and then having to replug it in
the next day. Rather, they basically they have it so
downpath that they can point it at a section and
(16:53):
it'll shut down in the next thirty seconds, kind of
like what you see on Home Alone with the sticky
bandits were talking about Christmas lights turning on and off houses.
But yeah, no, overall, that's I mean, that's really and
truly what this event is. And as long as it
continues to grow, I think the community will continue to
buy into it.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
And so I'm gonna I just want to, you know,
congratulate mercy because I think it started as a great
idea and it's turned into a community tradition. I think
people expect it's like, oh, yeah, don't forget, we haven't
seen the light sheet, let's run out to the fair ground. Well,
what I guess motivated you guys to do that. I
mean it's I you do with so much in the community.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
But this is neat this is nutrient telling me this too.
So yeah, we mean right back at you. Because there's
there's a lot of really great community sponsors, supporters. I
think that, you know, the fair itself is kind of
near and dear to the heart of the community. We
believe in the health of our community, and we know
that there's just a lot of good things that can
come out of programs and things that the Allen County
(17:52):
Fair encourages.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So you know, it was a great idea.
Speaker 5 (17:56):
I don't take credit for it, but really just blessed
to be able to work with such an amazing team
to bring it to life. You know, as Troy was
talking about unplugging those lights, I had to chuckle to myself.
You know, when the fair is going up and that's
my route to work and I start seeing that stuff
go up, I get really excited. Even if I'm not
pulling into the fair right then. You know, maybe i'll
(18:17):
be back later that night, but I get excited to
see it. And the same is true with bright nights,
even if that's not the night I'm driving through it.
When I go to town and see it lit up and
see the line of cars, I get excited because I
know people are being blessed by that, and so I
think it just that light shines even brighter than just
right there on that site for the people that start
(18:38):
surrounding the community and driving in and out.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Of our community to see that and what it represents.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
You know, what's neat about it too, is you don't
see anybody driving, you know, when you're passing cars or something.
Everybody's smiling. Everybody's enjoying the holiday, and they're doing it
as a family, which I think is there aren't that
many things anymore that get to do as a family
or car load of friends or whatever. So it's it's
just super super cool. Give me the dates again, and
(19:04):
let's talk about how you even get in. You don't
want us to come in off one seventeen, right, yeah, no,
not one seventeen.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
You might do some damage if you do that, but no,
So where you'll come in at We have everybody come
in off of three oh nine down our main boulevard
and you literally can't miss it. We purposely line that
driveway with pole mounted snowflakes and things of that nature
that kind of develop the alley way leading up to
our entrance. As you pull down the main boulevard, you'll
(19:33):
notice there are red directional arrows that are also Christmas
lights that kind of direct you where you need to go.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
And it's the same way through the whole path.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
But once you've pulled in the main boulevard, you'll turn
left before the Posse building, wrap around the Posse Building,
and then we will have a big archway set up
with one of our extravagant displays in a ticket booths
sitting right there. You pay your ten dollars, tune into
the radio station and you can listen to That's one.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Thing we didn't talk about.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Yes, we have another great partner in the community of
the limas Anphony Orchestra, and they give us their bank
of Christmas music to basically play on a loop as
people drive through their out.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I'm glad you brought that up because I just told
you the whole mounted snowflakes.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
I love that. I haven't used that term all week.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
No, I see if geryld will put some whole mounted
snowflakes up my driveway this year.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
This sounds great.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
You know, I might just text him after this and
say I've got the perfect Christmas gift for Rona.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
And you can give it to her early, because yeah,
so you're going to be coming home and he'll be
putting those up that All right, we go, We're ready
to go. So it's from Thanksgiving up to Christmas Eve.
Every Wednesday, Thursday, oh sorry, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. They can
come out to the fairgrounds and enjoy bright nights. Right,
there's ten bucks of car even with Edna.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
On the roof.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Yes, and I should plug two I heart, iHeart. Will
actually be doing a couple of live broadcasts. I believe
Rowdy Iran will bejoining us for a couple of those
live broadcasts. He always does a wonderful job. He's done
it the last couple of years. Or him and I
get to chat a little bit, he interacts with the
people driving through. They just absolutely love it and it
takes the event to another level.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Well, when we saw the big jolly guy walk down
the hallway here, just is he going to be out
there as well?
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yes, so there will be select nights where Santa will
be making appearances.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
And we've even figured out a way, I think, to.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Where we're going to incorporate his workshop onto our route somehow,
so he may not be at the beginning, he may
not be at the end, be on the lookout. We
don't want Santa hit before Christmas either, so no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
And of course, you know, you know his favorite place
to deliver presents.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
I feel like the reason he's asking me these questions
is because he's setting them.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
He's putting them on a tee. No, what is it?
Speaker 1 (21:48):
It's Ohio, all right, I made that one up. I
didn't get that off the joke.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
You know, these are just courtesy laughs, right, I know?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
And now next time we'll have Alex ad a laugh
tracked like they do on TV, and we everybody liked
that one. Yeah, all right, so Alex. We do want
to thank Alex will Ffi, our engineer, for helping us
make this podcast work today. Troy Elwer from The Fair
and Ronda Lehman from Mercy Health, thanks for joining us
in the podcast and join us again real soon.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Thanks,
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