Lights on Montana Hall

As the holiday season approaches and the days become shorter, multicolored lights illuminated Montana Hall in the annual Lights on Montana Hall event. This tradition has been part of MSU for the last seven years, and the lights returned this year on Wednesday, Dec. 1. The event is one of many annual traditions hosted by MSU to give students enjoyable activities that are even more needed at the end of the year. From returning to campus after Thanksgiving break, with finals, projects and traveling back home to visit family, the end of the semester can become stressful. There is much to look forward to, though, including the height of ski season and the beautiful winter decorations that adorn the community such as the dazzling lights over Main Street (known to some as the “Christmas Spiders”) and the lights on Montana Hall that brighten spirits as the holiday grows near.

The event welcomed students, staff and community members to celebrate the holiday together with snacks, music and speeches from a number of university officials including President Cruzado, ASMSU President Norris Blossom and Vice President Tal Rogers. This year's lighting featured musical performances by the MSU School of Music’s Montanans, the voices of preschool students from MSU’s Child Development Center and Bozeman High School students. Hot chocolate and snacks were also provided at the event by University Catering Services.

The design for the event was created by Carlye Cook, who has worked on campus for a decade, and now manages major presidential events through her company Carlye by Design with the Office of the President. “This is what I do with joy in my heart,” Cook said about the work she did to design the event. The luminaries lining the campus sidewalks during the event were made by Connor Wolfe with Black Box Designs.

The lighting of the second oldest building on campus brought a colorful end of the night that will be enjoyed through the New Year.