PHILADELPHIA – The Wanamaker Light Show got a test run this evening. 

It brought back smiles to the faces of many who feared the curtain had been permanently lowered on the historic show after the Center City Macy’s closed earlier this year.

What they’re saying:

“We were very upset. We came last time thinking it was going to be the last time,” said Lance Sugarman. His family came dressed for the occasion. They are relieved to be back.

“We’ve been coming for years so we were excited to celebrate it being open again,” he said.

Monday night was reserved for the donors who saved the show.

“I gave them a lot of money to get them to save it, so that’s how come I got here. (Why was that so important?) Because it is history. It is nostalgia,” said Paulette Steffa. She came with her brother and was wearing matching sweaters. 

Her parents brought them every year. She remembers her first time.

“I was three and wearing these old clothes, with the flop hats. We looked like we were orphans from the show Annie,” laughed Steffa.

Kathryn Ott Lovell of the Philadelphia Visitor Center thanked everyone who had a role in preserving the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village another year.

“I should have known in Philly that lights won’t dim on our watch,” she said.

It is a meaningful family tradition for the Sugarman family. Lance got a tattoo about 15 years ago.

“It’s exactly a replica of the wall you see there. It does not light up, but it does have the eagle. So, we can meet at the eagle. It has the train and the snowman,” he said.

His wife, Blair said, “We’ve been coming here since we first started dating and them it was even more important to us when we had our babies.”  

Their daughter Paisley has a pin from each year she has come and going back to a very special one.

“That was the year I was born yeah,” said 11-year-old, Paisley.

Jenn Bethke says showing up in festive attire spreads even more joy.

“It’s just fun, and it makes people happy,” she said.

The Source: Information from a Philadelphia Visitor Center media release.

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