The bulbs that lit the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in recent seasons are leaving Monument Circle as ornaments, sent home with donors. Downtown Indy Alliance has said the monument's garland and lights are due for "a well-deserved retirement." Its fundraiser, Keeping Spirits Bright, turns the old bulbs into keepsakes and puts the donations toward new holiday decor on the Circle. The 64th Circle of Lights is on Friday, November 27, 2026. That same night, there's a party at a rink south of the Circle and a holiday market opening to the northeast.
Where 4,784 Bulbs Are Going
WTHR reported that the Alliance is relaunching Keeping Spirits Bright this year, citing the Alliance's release. It said the original 4,784 bulbs from past displays are being made into commemorative ornaments. On the Keeping Spirits Bright donation page, any gift of $50 or more comes with a limited-edition ornament holding one of the actual bulbs from past Circle of Lights celebrations.
Each bulb's color stands for a branch of the U.S. military, a nod to the monument's purpose:
- Army: green
- Air Force: white
- Marines: red
- Navy: blue
- Coast Guard: yellow
Most Circle of Lights photos show a cone of mixed color. Those colors were assigned by branch. When a donor gets one bulb, they're getting one branch's color from the display.
The campaign page lists pickup starting Wednesday, October 14. Donors in Marion County and the rest of Central Indiana pick up at the Downtown Indy Alliance office, 111 Monument Circle, Suite 250, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Out-of-state donors can have theirs shipped. International shipping isn't offered. The page offers gift levels of $50, $100, $250, $500, $750 and $1,000.
What the Donations Pay For
The bulbs leaving the Circle help pay for what replaces them. In WTHR's report, all proceeds go to updated holiday decorations on Monument Circle. That includes new garland for the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, refurbishment of the Soldiers and Sailors figures and new photo opportunities around the monument. On its own event page, the Alliance describes the goal as refreshed greenery and lighting, enhanced seasonal decorations and "the next generation of holiday magic in Indianapolis."
The campaign started in midsummer. Faith Thompson of Downtown Indy Alliance went on FOX59's morning show on July 21 to talk about restoring and replacing the aging garland and lights. WTHR quoted the Alliance's president and CEO, Taylor Schaffer, from the release:
"As we work to preserve and elevate this community celebration, the sale of these ornaments offers a unique opportunity for families to take home a piece of that history while helping ensure it continues for many years to come."
If the name on the campaign doesn't ring a bell, the organization does. The Indianapolis Business Journal reported in September 2025 that Downtown Indy Inc. had rebranded as Downtown Indy Alliance. According to IBJ, the new name was meant to make the group more visible as downtown's stewards and to emphasize a clean, safe, beautiful downtown. The garland replacement is a clear example of that stewardship.
The Tradition the Old Bulbs Lit
The monument has been strung for the holidays since 1962, according to WTHR. The bulbs have long been hung by hand. In 2023, the same station reported that members of IBEW Local 481 and their families put up the strands with more than 200 volunteers, and that Local 481 workers inspected the strands and bulbs. That year's display used 52 strands.
IBEW Local 481 is the presenting sponsor again this year. The free event is also supported by WTHR 13, AES Indiana, Hoosier Lottery, Radio One, Christ Church Cathedral, the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Members Credit Union. On the official event page, festivities start at 5 p.m. with live music, vendors, Santa and food trucks around the Circle. A child chosen through the AES Indiana Coloring Contest flips the switch before 7 p.m., and WTHR Channel 13 has the exclusive broadcast of the lighting from 6 to 7 p.m.
Families with an artist at home still have a few days. Coloring sheets are due by noon on Monday, November 16, and the 2026 sheet can be downloaded from the event page. The contest is backed by AES Indiana, Indiana529, IBEW Local 481, Indiana Members Credit Union, WTHR Channel 13 and IndyStar.
The Same Friday, Beyond the Circle
The Circle is the centerpiece of the evening, and two other downtown events are scheduled for the same Friday.
| Friday, Nov. 27 | Where | Hours | What's there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle of Lights | Monument Circle | Starts 5 p.m.; switch flipped before 7 p.m. | Live music, vendors, Santa, food trucks |
| Lights on the Ice | Elevance Health Rink, Morris Bicentennial Plaza | 5 to 9 p.m. | Live DJ, festive food and drinks, glow bar |
| Christkindlmarkt opening weekend | The Athenaeum Biergarten, 401 E. Michigan St. | Fridays through Sundays, Nov. 27 to Dec. 20 | Vendor huts and live performers |
Lights on the Ice runs at the Elevance Health Rink on Morris Bicentennial Plaza, outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, from 5 to 9 p.m. with a live DJ, festive food and drinks, and a glow bar. Its later hours suit anyone who stays for the switch and then wants a second stop.
Over on Michigan Street, the Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt opens its season the same Friday in the historic Biergarten. The market runs Fridays through Sundays until December 20. The Athenaeum says every vendor hut slot is already taken.
Anyone heading the other direction for dinner can try the InterContinental Indianapolis at 17 W. Market St., which opened in February 2025 in the historic Illinois Building. It's home to the Astrea Rooftop Bar and Serliana.
The Weekends That Follow
The rink opens before the lighting. Its grand opening is Wednesday, November 18, from 3 to 9 p.m. The season runs through January 24, 2027. Admission is $15 and skate rental is $4. The rink is sunken, with a covered pavilion beside it. Regular hours, per Gainbridge Fieldhouse:
- Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 7 p.m.
- Friday, 3 to 9 p.m.
- Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Activity goes back to the monument in December. SPARK Holidays on the Circle runs every Saturday and Sunday that month on the north quadrant of Monument Circle, with hot cocoa, live performances and visits with Santa. Those weekends overlap with the Christkindlmarkt's Friday-through-Sunday schedule until December 20. Downtown Indy Alliance's Winter Wanderland guide brings the season together. It runs from mid-November 2026 into early January 2027 and builds toward Circle of Lights.
On November 27 the monument will light up for the 64th time. The bulbs that lit it in recent seasons will be in donors' homes, with each color matched to a branch of the military, and the donations will help pay for the decor that replaces them.
Holiday traditions like this are part of what makes downtown feel like home, and they're a big part of how we know these blocks. If you're thinking about a home within walking distance of the Circle, or wondering what yours is worth this season, the Kelly Todd Group is glad to help. Start with your instant home valuation.
