INDIANAPOLIS — More than 200 volunteers from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 481 spent Saturday morning getting Monument Circle ready for the holidays.
The Indianapolis Circle Of Lights is a tradition the city has enjoyed for 57 years.
“The monument has been here since 1902 but in 1962 the IBEW first came out and said, ‘how can we help string these lights up,’” said Bob Schultz with Downtown Indy.
Decorations on the Soldiers & Sailors Monument include 52 garland strands with 4,784 LED colored lights, strung from the top of the monument to its base.
And if you think back to high school science, there is physics involved.
“Those strands have to be anchored at the top and bottom so they don’t blow in the wind. As they go up, they have to have opposite deployment so the monument doesn’t fall over as you put the tension on it,” said Schultz.
Downtown Indy says each of the strand’s bulbs represents a branch of the Untied States Military: green for the Army, clear for the Air Force, blue for the Navy, yellow for the Coast Guard and red for the Marines.
IBEW represents more than 3,000 electrical workers.
Henry Burks with IBEW said he’s been volunteering for 27 years and that it’s his way of thanking this great city and the men and women that have served.
Downtown Indy says this year will have enhanced holiday activations and new video and lighting elements thanks to the $7.6 million Shining a Light on Indianapolis initiative that premiered Veterans Day weekend.
The switch will flip on the Circle of Lights Friday, Nov. 29 with entertainment starting at 7 p.m.
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(PHOTO: WISH-TV)
(WISH-TV: Angeli Kakade)
