Student Experience

Fourth-Year Trustees Plan To Illuminate With ‘Lighting of the Lawn’

September 10, 2024 • By Renee Grutzik, amn8sb@virginia.edu Renee Grutzik, amn8sb@virginia.edu

Portrait of the Rotunda illuminated during the Lighting of the Lawn.

Lighting of the Lawn has become a beloved holiday tradition at the University since it was started as a mood-lifter in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. (Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)

Though temperatures in Charlottesville this week may reach into the mid-80s, fourth-year University of Virginia students Chelsea Huffman and Riley McNeill are already preparing for the holiday season. As co-chairs of the annual Lighting of the Lawn event, they began organizing this year’s cherished tradition in July.

Typically held the week before December’s final exams, Lighting on the Lawn has been a staple of UVA culture for 23 years. In post-pandemic years, the event drew more than 15,000 students, staff and members of the Charlottesville community to celebrate the holiday season and watch thousands of artfully strung LED lights illuminate the Lawn.

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The event includes festive offerings, including food vendors, free cookies and hot chocolate, and performances by a cappella groups and dance teams from across Grounds.

Lighting of the Lawn began in response to the 9/11 terror attacks. On the 23rd anniversary of the attacks, McNeill and Huffman said it’s especially important to remember the origins of this UVA tradition.

“Lighting of the Lawn started in December 2001 as a way to honor the students and families affected by 9/11,” said McNeill, a global studies major. “It’s an event meant to bring the UVA and Charlottesville communities together and remind us of the strength we find in each other.”

Portrait of Fourth-year students Chelsea Huffman, left, and Riley McNeill, right.

Fourth-year students Chelsea Huffman, left, and Riley McNeill, right, have been active members of the Class of 2025 Council since their first years at UVA. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

McNeill and Huffman were not alive to experience the terrorist attacks, but their Fourth-Year Trustees co-adviser was.

A member of the Class of 2002, Mary Elizabeth Luzar remembers the dark days following 9/11. “It was such a scary time in our country, and I think a lot of us were feeling like we were powerless in many ways,” she said.

Luzar collaborated with her Class of 2002 Trustees colleagues to create an event to raise spirits on and around the Grounds, leading to the first Lighting of the Lawn.

“When someone in the Trustees mentioned the idea, we didn’t know if it was even allowed for lights to be hung up on these historic buildings,” Luzar said.

What began as a simple gathering to unite UVA and the surrounding community has since grown into a beloved annual celebration, drawing thousands each year to celebrate the power of community.

Growing and Adapting

Since its inaugural event, Lighting of the Lawn has changed tremendously. What is now a highly anticipated yearly tradition at UVA was once a gathering of a few hundred guests and string lights lining the Rotunda and pavilions.

Portrait of the Facilities Management Team getting ready for the Lighting of the Lawn.

Organizing an event as treasured as Lighting of the Lawn requires collaboration with several sectors of the University. Committee members work closely with Facilities Management to string lights in the Academical Village. (Photo by University Communications)

Lighting of the Lawn added a choreographed light show to the mix in 2012. Members of the organizing committee spend months programming the light display.

“Unfortunately, there have been a lot of events in the last 15 or 20 years where our community really needed a moment of light and unity,” Luzar said. “I think anytime we can bring the community together and provide a sense of belonging is really important.”

In 2020, during the pandemic, Lighting of the Lawn adapted to be held virtually. The theme, “Finding Our Light,” aimed to unite the community despite physical distance.

The 2022 event included a memorial to Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler and D’Sean Perry, who died in the Nov. 13 shooting on Grounds. The organization hosted a raffle, with the proceeds sent to the families of the victims.

“To me, it’s all about helping to cultivate a sense of belonging and community within our UVA community,” Luzar said, “and bringing light.”

Support a Student-Led UVA Tradition

Though this year’s event is still three months away, the Lighting of the Lawn team is already planning every aspect of the event, from creating the event’s theme to finding food vendors and scheduling performances.

On Monday, Huffman and McNeill selected new committee members to help organize the event.

One of the biggest challenges is fundraising, the organizers said. Lighting of the Lawn is completely self-funded, with no financing from the University. The money to hold the event comes from donations, grants and partnerships with local businesses.

Group portrait of students wearing illuminated lights around their necks during the Lighting of the Lawn.

By the time Lighting of the Lawn arrives, the committee members have formed a tightknit group, united by their mission to bring the community together. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

“We try to make the event as accessible as possible,” Huffman said. “We want everyone to come and enjoy the event, but it is expensive.”

This year’s organizers hope those who have been touched by Lighting of the Lawn in the past will consider donating to keep the event free and accessible to students, staff and members of the local community. Donations can be made online through UVA Give Campus.