The Lighting of the Lawn has become a high-spirited celebration of the holiday season, providing one last hurrah before students buckle down for exams. The first such event, coming on the heels of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, began on a more somber note. “It’s been a tough semester and we wanted something that would unify everyone, a joyful ending that would cement everyone together,” said Portman Wills, president of the Class of 2002, at the inaugural event. “People may … see it as a one-off, but I would love to see it institutionalized.”
Wills got his wish. After marking its 10th anniversary this December, the Lighting of the Lawn is now firmly entrenched as a favorite University tradition. This year’s festivities included performances by nearly 20 student groups, receptions in many Lawn rooms and pavilions, and the reading of the class poem—a lighthearted recap of the semester written by the fourth-year trustees.
The lights will remain up throughout the winter holiday season, coming down after the new year.
VIDEO
In celebration of a decade of the Lighting of the Lawn, we asked members of the U.Va. community to share their holiday wishes for the University.
A Parting Gift to U.Va.
U.Va. electrician Ralph Himelrick and Portman Wills, 2002 class president
The first Lighting of the Lawn in 2001 was the last big project for retiring University electrician Ralph Himelrick, who supervised the installation of approximately 21,600 white lights along the Rotunda and pavilion columns and balcony railings. Himelrick and his crew, primarily Wayne Russell and Shawn Wells, spent two weeks stringing the lights.
Himelrick, who had rewired many of the pavilions as they were restored during his career, received a long ovation after being recognized at the first event.
“I was so pleased with all the work and with the crowd’s reaction to Ralph,” Portman Wills said the day after the lights were turned on. “I saw Ralph this morning and he was still teary-eyed.”
Comments
you needed to show the pep band playing at lighting they are the best !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great video! But the female group singing from 0:20-0:31 is the Virginia Women's Chorus, not the Virginia Belles.
That's just beautiful! I wish I could see it in person, and I wish they'd thought of that years ago when I was there. What fun! Mara College 1972
What a great tradition and since UVA is all about tradition, I would add lining the walks of the lawn with luminaries as part of this celebration. Hoping this finds all the Hoos in Hooville in the spirit of the season!
what a great tradition !!! Wish we had it in the 70's !!! Mark College '72, Medicine '78
Hats off to Portman Wills for shining some light on The Academic Village at Christmas time.My wish would be to somehow make Jefferson's Light from Monticello shine all over the world.The UVA Lawn is obviously a great place to start.Maybe the greatest single idea in the history of the world.
Wish the tradition had started when I was on the Lawn in 1956-57. That's 54 year ago. It was and stll is a great place to live.
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