More lighting displays help brighten Charles City’s Christmas

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Several groups and individuals are working at various efforts to make sure this Christmas season in Charles City is merry and bright.

In addition to the December Nights & Dazzling Lights self-guided tour of decorated homes and businesses being sponsored by Community Revitalization, holiday displays are being set up throughout the downtown business district and along the Cedar River.

Tami Vetter, owner of the Rustic Corner, explained that Robin Macomber, owner of Whimsical Touch Decorative Painting and Art Box Painting, was exploring ways to dress up what was then known as the McQuillen Place in downtown Charles City.

“She was trying to come up with a solution to put something in those second and third floor windows to put a positive vibe on that building,” Vetter said. “As time went on it was becoming more and more of an issue to find a way to do that.”

Vetter, who is a member of the Charles City Rotary Club’s evening satellite group, said that group was looking for a project, so she approached Macomber with the idea of turning it into a Christmas project.

She said Kurt Herbrechtsmeyer was very receptive to the idea. Herbrechtsmeyer is president and CEO of First Security Bank and manager of Four Keys LLC, the company that owns what it is now calling the Union House, and which is the process of completing the construction.

“They were great about giving us access and letting us test it out,” Vetter said.

Then the idea expanded from there.

“Instead of focusing on one building we thought it would be better to focus on our whole downtown,” Vetter said.

The group picked several Christmas movies and Christmas images as the theme, and Shelley Zweibohmer at Unique Country Store produced black vinyl silhouettes that Macomber mounted on plastic to be suspended from windows in the downtown buildings with LED lights shining through them.

“The idea was just to create some type of driving experience or walking experience in our business district for visitors or residents alike,” Vetter said.

The display windows, now dubbed “Brighten Your World,” going north include:

• Santa’s Sleigh, Iowa Title/Jim Davis, 101 N. Main St.
• “Scrooge,” Feller & Associates, 120 N. Main St.
• “Peanuts,” Union Building, 123 N. Main St.
• Little Drummer Boy, Roffman Music, 200 N. Main St. back.
• “Frozen,” Main Street Drug, 204 N. Main St.
• “The Grinch,” KCHA, 207 N. Main St.
• Nutcracker, Dean Jewelers, 217-219 N. Main St.
• Dickens Carolers, First Citizens Bank, 300 N. Main St.
• “Christmas Vacation,” Mills Main Street, 314 N. Main St.
• “Nightmare Before Christmas,” Mills Main Street, 314 N. Main St.
• Elf and Rudolph, Chamber of Commerce, 401 N. Main St.
• Elf on a Shelf, The Charles Theatre, 409 N. Main St.
• “Polar Express,” Shankland Insurance, 1006 N. Grand Ave.

Some of the displays are lighted up already and all should be soon, Vetter said.

Another seasonal display is being set up along the north bank of the Cedar River, along Riverside Drive from the Pub to the new pedestrian bridge.

Organized by Sean and Cherie Schweinfurth, the idea is for groups or businesses to set up Christmas displays along the street.

Jessica Keifer, Cherie’s daughter, is recruiting people to help set up the displays. Perry Novak Electric is donating the materials to install electric outlets at the light poles and pole sponsorships are being used to pay for the labor.

“It can be any kind of Christmas displays,” Keifer said. “It can be blow-ups. With electricity you can do lights. You can do any kind of display you want to do. That way we have something locally to keep people around here.”

Keifer said businesses or individuals can sponsor a pole and decorate it themselves, or sponsor a pole and let some other group or persons decorate it. Six poles will be used this year, but the plan is to expand it in the future.

Vetter, who is also involved with this project, said the six poles this year are being sponsored by Zweibohmer from Unique Country Store, by the Schweinfurths, Kelvin Keifer from Mills Inc., Jim Davis of Iowa Title, David Davidson from Dean’s Jewelry and by Vetter herself and The Rustic Corner.

Cherie Schweinfurth said, “We want to spread a little cheer this year. We kind of hope it grows a little each year.”

She said Perry Novak Electric would be installing the outlets this week, and the plan is for the decorating to occur on Saturday.

They’re calling the display Holiday Reflections, because of its location along the river.

Keifer said people who would like to be involved should contact her through her Facebook page.

Vetter said anyone interested in participating in the window silhouettes next year — or anyone who can offer advice on lighting techniques — should contact her at her store, 641-228-2657.

JENNIFER KIEFER: Operation light up the river looking for people interested in setting up Christmas displays! Novak Electric will be wiring the polls on Riverside Drive along the River. Local businesses and residents have dontated money to sponsor and help with costs to get electricity to these poles.

You can donate decorations/lights or the time of putting a display together or both! If you would like more details or interested in helping out please send me a PM or comment on here!

Another way to enjoy the holidays while social distancing. It’ll be a drive by display of lights. Hoping to expand this in years to come. And set up will follow safety guidelines of social distancing!