Studer Community Institute

St. Anne's light display canceled for 2014

November 18, 2014
/ Mike Ensley
/ community-dashboard

One Pensacola Christmas tradition won’t be bringing good cheer to the westside this year. The annual St. Anne’s Catholic Church light display has been canceled for 2014. According to the church’s website, the light display had be canceled because the chairperson of the display had a family emergency and there was simply too much to do for someone to step in. “There is quite a bit of work that has to be done and prepare for during the Christmas Light time frame,” notes the website. “From checking each of the lights to see if they are working, planning where the different colors will go, coordinating workers to place the lights, are there enough people to make hot chocolate and cookies (and hand them out), rope off areas, turning lights off and on, have someone coordinate the helpers for the inside of the Church (the Altar Society does a wonderful job at this), turn on and off the music, check bathrooms, empty trash and get ready for the next day.” The elaborate display, which eventually featured more than 1 million lights, was put on by the church for more than 40 years starting in 1965 and continuing until 2003. The display did not return in 2004 due to damage from Hurricane Ivan and the church sat dark until 2013, when a smaller scale display returned. Margaret Shannon Campbell of Pensacola has fond memories from her childhood of the display and the activities that the church offered on the grounds each year. “Piling up in the car, every year from a girl, I always wondered how they got the lights so high up on those trees,” Campbell said. “You road the little train, lit a light in the old chapel, burnt your tongue on hot chocolate and it really felt like it was Christmas.” Brian Johnson said the lights were also a tradition for his family. “Being a native, we would always make the drive out to St. Anne's to see the lights,” Johnson said. “We had a 7 month old last year, so it was a slow drive by as he slept and we listened to Christmas music.” Campbell also passed the tradition down as she got a family of her own. “I continued going and brought my step kids with me when they were young,” she said. The website says it believes the church will bring the tradition back, explaining that the chair person, “loves doing all of this and hopes to next year.” Johnson is hopeful as well. “My wife and I would love to see it return to its former glory,” Johnson said.

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St. Anne's light display canceled for 2014

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