Canton Residents Light up the Night
/Wow, neighbors! Canton threw a party, and you showed up… and lit up!
Light Night Canton, an interactive night of light, music and family fun in celebration of Light City Baltimore, was held with great success on April 21 in O’Donnell Square. From giggling children and smiling seniors to dancing adults and skating teens—and everything in between—it truly shined a spotlight on the positive energy that happens when a community comes together.
Some may claim that Canton hosts nothing but boozefests. Well, the LNC Team proudly proved that wrong! We could write a long recap about how awesome the giant 8-foot CANTON installation looked. Or how rad it was to see the skateboarders shred on a half pipe in the middle of O’Donnell Square. Or how ridiculously adorable it was to watch the little ones from Dance on the Square twirl and dip to Do You Believe in Magic. Or how amusing it was to watch the festival-goers try to balance so many plates because the food was just that good. Or how kids (of all ages) delighted in darting in and out of the bubble show. Or how much the bands rocked and the light show enthralled. Or how long the face painting lines were despite having 4 artists working furiously to create little Tigers and Ladybugs. Or we could just show you.
Here’s a recap of the amazing night in photos:
And if that doesn’t illuminate the fabulous fun and frivolity that was Light Night Canton, here’s what the organizers, volunteers, vendors, and neighbors had to say:
"Light Night Canton was an awesome experience! Amazing to see the neighborhood "light up" with such a sense of community! A night to be remembered for sure." —Chris Blauvelt, Balti’Marons
“I didn’t know there were so many kids in Canton. It was like the movie Monsters Inc… their laughter lit up O’Donnell Square! I’m already thinking about what we can create for them to enjoy next year.” —Julie M. Kichline, LNC Creative Director
“I enjoyed working on LNC because I love seeing Canton getting together and having fun. Being able to bring local volunteers together to create such an event is humbling and necessary.” —Torbin Green, Light Night Canton Creator
“There are some nights where everything just clicks in perfect synergy and I really felt like Erin, Stephen, Chris and I played off each other well. It was great to see all the people—families, people our age and everyone in between enjoying and the music and then noticing our lights.” —Rejie, Linwood Light Collective
“We had a blast! There were so many families out and about. What canton represents as a community was really shown at LNC and I can’t wait for the next event and the others we have planned to help bring the neighborhood together more than ever!” —Larry Romanowicz, Southern Provisions
“There was a definite buzz on the square at this unique, family-friendly event. We thoroughly enjoyed the skaters, face painters, musical entertainment and all of the vendors. We look forward to attending next year!” —The Williams Family
“My family and I had a great time both at the event and volunteering. It was a great event for bringing the community together and I look forward to next year’s LNC.” —Sadia Arnold, LNC Volunteer Coordinator
"This years Light Night Canton was amazing. All the awesome vendors and artwork. Of course the half pipe was cool. Great time. Can’t wait till next year. Thanks so much for letting the Charmcity Skatepark be a part of it all!" —Jason Chapman, owner, The Charmcity Skatepark
“As a chance to show off the genial nature of our community, Light Night Canton shone bright. An elementary-aged conga snake to laid back ska, an eager and constant line for face-painting and bubbles and masks galore…Light Night was a neighborhood festival wonderland for local kids and families. A special thanks to all the businesses who sponsored this uniquely SE version of a city-wide celebration. I can’t wait for next year, to see how the organizers top the spectacle.” —Rev. Jim Hamilton, Church on the Square
The Light Night Canton Team, Torbin Green, Amanda Bourgeois, and Julie M. Kichline, wants to thank the everyone who planned, donated, created, played, volunteered, attended, and participated in any way, including the CCA for helping to make the evening such a huge success! If you’d like to participate in LNC 2019, please email outreach@cantoncommunity.org.