City of Kettering prepares to light up for upcoming holiday season

KETTERING — The city of Kettering is preparing to brighten up the community this holiday season. Roughly one million holiday lights are being hung throughout Lincoln Park.

Lincoln Park is home to one of the most popular holiday light displays in the Miami Valley.

Todd Raker, park service worker, said workers like himself spend two months stringing lights through nine and a half miles of the park grounds.

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Raker has done this for 14 years. He told News Center 7′s Haley Kosik that he and the other park officials try to keep the light displays fresh and bright each season. As for this season, Raker said he will not give away any surprises for the display.

“I don’t want to give it away because that’s the fun of [it],” Raker said. “Probably the best thing about it is counting down and turning it on.”

Park officials take pride in their new ideas, set ups and lighting techniques, as well as the long hours they put into making their vision a reality.

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“We have probably about two to three people per day, for 40 hours a week,” Raker said.

Kettering residents, like Tim Zechar, said they appreciate the work park officials put into the lights and look forward to seeing them this holiday season.

“Hopefully they’ll get it to be a big event this year and have the carriage rides and hot chocolate and all that,” Zechar said.

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