Gaithersburg Charities Invited to Apply For Winter Lights Beneficiary Status

The City of Gaithersburg is asking nonprofits to apply for beneficiary status for this year’s Winter Festival of Lights.

Winter Festival of Lights, which will enter its 18th year, is a static light display viewers can see while driving along a 3.5-mile stretch through Seneca Creek State Park. The traditional drive-through runs Nov. 29 through Dec. 31.

Admission costs $12 and $15 per vehicle; a portion of the proceeds is donated to charity.

Last year’s event generated $238,899 in gross revenue, having attracted roughly 65,000 attendees, according to Carolyn Crosby, the city’s senior program supervisor for arts and events.

Crosby said $6,000 in festival proceeds was donated to eight charities last year. 

The rest of the money paid for the program’s production and included personnel costs, replacing bulbs and purchasing new light displays, and other production costs.

Crosby said 50 organizations applied for beneficiary status for the 2012 festival.