PLAINFIELD, NJ — The 2024 Plainfield luminaries were as big as expected, with somewhere around 12,000 lights placed in a growing arrangement around the city. See TAPinto Plainfield's map, which reflects, more or less, where luminaries were ultimately displayed.
“This year’s luminaries were nothing short of magical,” said Jeffrey Paul, founder of the Plainfield Luminary Program. “As we walked and drove through neighborhoods illuminated by thousands of glowing lights, it was clear that this tradition has become something significant for our community. Seeing people come together and celebrate unity and hope through this shared experience embodies the spirit of the holiday and the program.”
Luminaries in Plainfield started years ago with the Netherwood Heights Neighbors and Sleepy Hollow Neighbors, but in the past two years, the Plainfield Luminary Program has spearheaded the expansion of the tradition to the Hillside Avenue Historic District and, ultimately, far beyond it.
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“The luminaries that are lighting up both sides of West 8th Street, and lighting up other neighborhoods across the city, is something that warms my heart on this cold December night,” said Mayor Adrian Mapp as he walked along West 8th St in a Facebook video posted late Tuesday night.
“But in spite of the cold, these luminaries, and the spirit of unity and cooperation, warm my heart,” continued Mr Mapp, who wished a happy holiday to all. “To see, and to know, that all of Plainfield, in many different parts of our city, have decided that this is the time when we can come together in unison through luminaries to unite our city.”
The mayor said he hopes the spirit of unity can continue through next year and beyond in the Queen City. While how Plainfield unites otherwise remains to be seen, the organizers of the growing Plainfield Luminary Program hope to continue growth in the coming years.
“We’ve come a long way since we started two years ago,” said Jeff Paul. “From just a single street with a few blocks participating to now seeing hundreds and hundreds of people from neighborhoods across Plainfield embrace this tradition—it’s inspiring. Our goal is to keep building on this momentum, engaging even more residents and neighborhoods, and ensuring that the luminary program becomes a cherished part of our city’s holiday culture for years to come.”
As bright lights in the dark, luminaries are notoriously hard to capture—photos just don't do them justice. Take a look at the best shots we were able to find in the carousel above this article.
David Young, who contributed many of the photos for this article, wanted to thank the Fraser family—John, Jill, and Ian—for always volunteering their driveway and yard for luminary assembly for Netherwood Heights Neighbors and making sure that they are distributed to every block of the neighborhood. This year, the Frasers made room for Sleepy Hollow Neighbors as well.
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