Festival of Lights in Rockford draws estimated 105K visitors
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app
ROCKFORD — The annual Festival of Lights drew an estimated 105,423 people to Sinnissippi Park this past season, the sixth-consecutive year with more than 100,000 visitors.
The holiday tradition illuminates the park, 1401 N. Second St., with more than 110 displays and a multitude of other floodlights, uplights and twinkling trees. Festival of Lights wrapped up its annual run on New Year’s Eve, and the civic committee that organizes the event released its estimates on Monday.
“Even though Mother Nature threw so many curve balls this season, it was great to see so much continued support of the event,” Ted O’Donnell, co-chairman of the civic committee, said in a message.
This was the 36th year of the drive-thru event, which also serves as an important fundraiser for the Fourth of July fireworks display.
The attendance estimate is based on 35,141 cars, buses and other vehicles that drove through the grounds. The committee figures an average of three people per vehicle in its estimates.
This was the fifth-straight year that more than 35,000 cars passed through.
Festival of Lights attendance
2025: 105,423 (35,141 vehicles)
2024: 113,199 (37,733 vehicles)
2023: 126,894 (42,298 vehicles)
2022: 105,150 (35,050 vehicles)
2021: 105,453 (35,151 vehicles)
2020: 103,560 (34,520 vehicles)
2019: 84,840 (28,280 vehicles)
2018: 52,758 (17,586 vehicles)
Source: Festival of Lights / Rockford 4th of July Civic Committee
How to help
You can help keep the display running and fund the annual Fourth of July Fireworks by donating to the Festival of Lights online at 4thandlights.com.
If you prefer to donate by check, you can mail to:
Rockford 4th of July Civic Committee
728 N. Prospect St., Suite 107
Rockford IL, 61107
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
