Circle of Lights Brings Out More Than 100,000

An estimated 100,000 people packed downtown Friday night to be part of the Circle of Lights celebration. This is the 44th year for the holiday tradition.

The sounds of the season filled the air and with the flip of a switch it was officially the start of the holidays in Indianapolis.

It took 4,784 light bulbs, 52 strands, six miles of wiring and two miles of garland to light up the circle.

Before the lights came on Santa Claus flew in from the north pole to pay the unseasonably warm weather lured many families out for the first time.

"If you live in Indy you have to experience it once," said Jana Cody. "I didn't mind getting out in it."

But not the last, "It's a good family tradition, my sister, my brother in law, good fun family thing to do.

Cody says, "I think it's good to have family time, it's what the holiday's are really about, it's not about the gifts and the presents and all the shopping, spending time with your family. And it's a blast I think we'll become regulars down here."

The lucky person who got to flip the switch on the lights was a 10-year-old girl from Indianapolis.

She was the winner of the coloring contest.