LEWISTOWN — Shining Light Through the Darkness transforms Kishacoquillas Park in Lewistown into a glowing celebration of the Christmas season.

What began in 2007 as a small light display has grown into a beloved free community event, featuring thousands of lights, live entertainment, a train and mini-village room, horse-drawn carriage rides and cozy Sweet Shop.

“We do our best to have lights on and have entertainment,” said Shining Light Through the Darkness Chair Darla Rickert. “We want to entertain them. Everything is weather permitting.”

And while the new light displays certainly are a draw for the expected 15,000 people who will attend this year’s event. The entertainment schedule and other featured events will get their share of notoriety, too.

Weather permitting, the lights are on from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Shining Light Through the Darkness opened Saturday with the Brush Mountain Band performing on Saturday and Bob Ritchey, Family and Friends taking the stage on Sunday.

The event continues through Jan. 2, 2026. Tonight’s musical entertainment will be provided by Cantare from Mifflin County High School at 7 p.m. in the semi-heated scooter car building.

“It’s nice and warm there, so people can sit in there and listen to music,” Rickert added. “They can go in and out when they want. With the food to eat, it’s nice. They can eat a hot dog, cookies and drink hot chocolate.”

The rest of the schedule includes:

Tuesday, Dec. 9 — Steen Peterson, 7 p.m.; and Dan Snook, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 10 — Tim and Duane, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 11 — Brian Worley, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 12 — Doug Romig, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 13 — Mary Kanagy of Simple Melodies and Nathaniel Tyler Mowery, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 14 — Doug Romig, 7 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 15 — Grace Fala and Flipside, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 16 — Eric Armstrong, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 17 — Chris Ruble, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 18 — Rich Burns, 7 p.m.; and Mike Bair, 8 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 19 — Strodes Mills and Ridgeview Mennonite churches, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20 — Ellen Chapel Praise Team, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 21 — Lewistown Cluster of United Methodist Churches, 7 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 22 — Unusual Suspects, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 23 — Samantha Gates and middle school students, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 26 — To be announced, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 27 — Michael G, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 28 — Jesse Crosson and Friends, 7 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 29 — Susquehanna Valley Mennonite Church, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 30 — Josh Hill, 7 p.m.

Other nightly highlights include golf cart rides and the bridge with greeters, both of which are only available on select days; soldier isle; food shack; pavilions and tunnel; and the musical forest.

“There are several new light displays throughout the park,” Rickert said. It’s a far cry from year one where the lights were on for about three weeks and attendance was around 1,500.

For more information, visit www.kishparkshininglight.org or find them on Facebook.

Post-war trains at the park

The Third Annual Postwar Trains at the Park will rumble into Kish Park on Friday, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. There are a few different locomotives they’ll be operating this year, along with another fully recreated set from the post-war area of Lionel trains. The Kishacoquillas Valley Service Center room nights will be this Friday and Saturday and again on Dec. 26-27. Find them on Facebook for more information.