The Origins of Marshfield Rotary Winter Wonderland’s Lights

Monday, December 15th, 2025 -- 4:01 PM

Rotary Winter Wonderland is in full swing in the City of Marshfield.

Dale Erickson spoke with Ben Lee about the Rotary Winter Wonderland.

Listen to the interview between Dale and Ben here!

(AI assisted transcription via Otter.ai)

Dale: "One of the traditions in the City of Marshfield is the rotary Winter Wonderland lights that are in Wildwood Park and Zoo. And here to tell me about the origin of how the Rotary Lights began is Ben Lee. Ben, can you tell us a little bit about how Rotary Lights got started?"

Ben: "Sure, we started about 21 years ago. It was an idea that started with the Rotary Group. They were trying to find a way to bring some cheer, bring some lights. And we got together as a group, actually, went down to the city of La Crosse, met with the rotary group down there that is doing a Rotary Lights, and we got the idea from them."

"We came back to Marshfield and worked with the city staff, got permission to go into the zoo, and we took off from there. The key to it, really, in the beginning, was the fundraising that Rotary was able to do. We were able to raise a lot of money in the beginning, and luckily, we made the choice, at that time, to invest in LED lights, which had bigger implications than we thought in the beginning."

"As we started decorating the zoo, we found out there wasn't enough electrical sources in the zoo, so the use of the LEDs let us expand out into a bigger area than what we originally thought and then, from there, it grew and grew. In the very beginning, we started just with static lights and we have a lot of interesting stories of how we grew, the animation, the music and all that."

Dale: "One of the things that you need to do an event like this is people. And can you tell us about some of the different people that have helped the project along the way?"

Ben: "Oh, wow, we've had volunteers from all walks of life down there. So, the two Rotary groups started by going out and just trying to get interest with the schools, with the different clubs, the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Special Olympics. We really worked with them."

"And part of the draw was that if those groups helped us, we could then reimburse or give them some money back. So, it was a way for them to have events and help us out. So, I think we touched almost every social club in Marshfield just trying to get help."

Dale: "The lights began as a small display and has grown into what it is today. Can you tell us a little bit about that growth and how that growth went and how the process went?"

Ben: "Sure, in the beginning, we started with just standard lights on trees and some what we call static displays, things that don't move. And after the success of the first year, we wanted to get bigger. We wanted to have more excitement and we just started coming up with any idea we could think of."

"We worked with different folks around the city that had some experience with home displays. Honestly, we drove around the city of Marshfield, looked at people's houses, and would go knock on the door and ask those people that had really neat house displays, 'would you want to join us?'"

"And so we were able to bring some folks in to help that way and we just did a lot of experimenting. We always try to change the display up year after year. We keep what we liked and then we would move around and try to come up with something new each year. One thing that people notice is we had to use arches throughout the zoo to try to keep the extension cords off the ground."

"We always had to work hand in hand with the city staff to make sure they could continue to use the zoo, move around the zoo, and we had to figure out ways to get the cords from here to there. Those arches became some of our big displays. So, folks don't realize that when they're walking under something, it's actually our way of getting the cords from one side of the park to another park."

Dale: "Now there's two ways to really enjoy the lights in the park. There's the drive through and the walk through. Can you tell us how each of those originated?"

Ben: "Sure, right from the very beginning, we wanted to have both components, because with winter, sometimes moving through the park can be difficult for people and we wanted it to be accessible to everybody. So, immediately we had to figure out where to move traffic through the zoo."

"We actually had to pour new sidewalks in the beginning through the zoo to align some of the drive route with the walking path. So, I believe that people will get somewhat different experiences whether you drive through or walk through. And we put focus on both. We want to make it exciting either way. And we have a lot of visitors actually drive through first and then decide to circle back and walk through a second time."

Dale: "When you go through the displays, is there one certain display that everybody seems to gravitate to? Or is it an overall experience?"

Ben: "I'd say it's definitely an overall experience. We have certain favorites for people. Some folks like to visit Santa. Some like the displays of the Elves. Some like the big animated central display that was actually designed by the high school students here in Marshfield High School."

"So, folks like to come see that. Some like to see the live performances that are in the gingerbread house in the middle. And others do just like walking around. It's purposely designed to not have a specific way to go through it. You're supposed to wander and stroll through and see it all when you go through the drive through."

Dale: "Can you tell people where they can start and the best way to get through on the drive through?"

Ben: "Sure, and actually it can be a little busy on the weekends, so the entrance there, I believe it's on 17th and Adams. And I find actually, if you come out down by Weber's farm, and you come in that direction, you're going to have an easier time than if you come in off of Central Avenue."

"There is a four way stop there, so you can turn in, but all traffic has to come in through that one intersection. So, it's a little tricky sometimes on busy nights. But if you go around by Weber's farm and come in from that direction, you should have an easier way in. But then it'll take you right through the zoo, and we all come back out on Central at the end."

Dale: "The volunteers that come year after year that help you set up, that help you tear down. But there's also volunteers that are needed to actually run the exhibit day to day. There's a lot of groups and organizations that are involved. Can you tell us a little bit about the organization of that portion of the rotary winter lights?"

Ben: "Sure, that's exactly right. There's the setup, the and the tear down. But running the show, as we call it, is a big deal. So, we use local businesses, local organizations, service clubs, churches, other groups, they all can sign up on our website and they can pick a night to do it."

"So, a lot of businesses, like Stabb Construction, where I work, will pick a night, and it becomes sort of our own employee event down there too. So, our folks get to go down there, have fun, help the community, bring the food in and have a great time. So, all different types of organizations, and often that fills up pretty fast, and sometimes people are on a one or two year waiting list to try to get a time for their group."

Dale: "This is a wonderful event that was created many years ago, an ongoing tradition, and we hope that it continues to go for a long time and continues to grow. And we would like to invite people to come on out and enjoy that display until the new year."

Ben: "Exactly right. And even speaking of the growth, I think it's important to identify, we have figured out how to keep this thing going long term nowadays, instead of relying just on volunteers on the weekends to set up."

"There's a lot of businesses that help during the week, so businesses in the Marshfield area will send down their employees and actually help install those displays and lights during the week. That's going to help this thing keep going forever. And we're very excited to make sure that this thing keeps happening for Marshfield."

Dale: "Ben, thank you for your time. We appreciate your insight and your original push to begin this Rotary Winter Lights program."

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.