Christmas lights up park in Keokuk

KEOKUK — This holiday season, as with each one for the past 27 years, Keokuk's Rand Park has been transformed into the City of Christmas.

The City of Christmas first opened in 1989. Every year since, a small group of residents has filled the city park with lights, trees, snowflakes, snowmen and all things Christmas.

This year, the City of Christmas opened for the season the day before Thanksgiving and will remain open until Dec. 27.

Two snowmen greet visitors at the entrance. They then drive through the display in their cars and tune in to 90.1 FM on their radio to hear Christmas carols and descriptions of the displays.

Throughout the park, visitors will pass through lighted displays including Candy Cane Lane, Candy Land — complete with animated gingerbread — snowmen sliding down a hill and seals tossing balls to each other.

Christmas trees are numerous, including one that is 40 feet tall. This tree reportedly can be seen from Illinois.

'When they flip that on, it takes as much electricity as a normal house,' said Jean Meyer, a volunteer with City of Christmas who has lived in Keokuk since 1971.

There also is a Peace-on-Earth display, Santa's workshop, all of Santa's reindeer and Old Man Winter.

In total, the park features nearly 100 light displays made up of 1 million lights.

'You can't just go through once and see things,' Meyer said.

Some parts of the display are from the original City of Christmas display in 1989.

Meyer said committee members are looking for an artist who will help repaint parts of the wooden displays in need of refurbishing.

City of Christmas committee member Richard Malloy has been part of building the displays for 26 years and has lived in Keokuk since 1952.

'I've got a great-granddaughter, and I just get a kick out of the fact that she gets a kick out of it,' Malloy said. 'It's for kids, the kid in you, the kid in me, the kid in everybody.'

The layout is created by Joe Shuman, who has lived in Keokuk most of his life. Shuman said the City of Christmas displays change every year.

Every year, about 20,000 vehicles drive through Rand Park to see the displays. Visitors have hailed from every state in the country, Meyer said.

The City of Christmas, free to visitors, is supported primarily by donations. Local organizations and businesses also sponsor specific displays.

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