Candles in paper bags will once again flicker and light the way to Christmas and the holiday season as a tradition for the past 45 years comes back to the east side’s historic Irvington neighborhood.
The Luminaria is a festival of lights, held in Irvington the Sunday before Christmas, Dec. 19 from 6-10 p.m. All are welcome to walk, bike, or drive the streets of Irvington to see this beautiful tradition come to life. Even last year, when the pandemic was running rampant through Indiana, the candles appeared, symbolizing hope and prayers for better days to come.
To participate, residents can purchase already made up kits at several Irvington merchants, including Hampton Designs (5515E. Washington), Deering Cleaners (1160 N. Arlington), Central Ace Hardware (1025 N. Arlington), Coal Yard Coffee (5547 E. Bonna Ave.), Bittersweet (5545 E. Washington St.), and BaZaar-Oh! Vintage (5844 E. Washington St.). Sand to weigh the bags down will be available in the Ellenberger Park parking lot (near the pool). Bring your own bucket or large sturdy bag to take the sand home!
Over the years, others have used baby food jars and other nonflammable containers for the candles, and some have started using battery operated votive lights to further eliminate the potential for mini-fires along the sidewalks. Unless there are gale force winds, a blizzard or downpour, the Winter Luminaria will light up the streets of Irvington.
A more recent addition to the tradition is the visit from St. Nick for all the good boys and girls at Irving Circle Park. Get your picture taken for free with Santa and Krampus on Sunday, Dec. 19 from 6-9 p.m. at Irving Circle Park on South Audubon during the Luminaria. Please bring a donation of canned or boxed food to support the Downey Ave. Christian Church ICAN and Magic Candle food pantries, plus the Arlington Ave. red food box.
Santa will be at Coal Yard Coffee at 6 p.m., and they will be serving up holiday drinks, hot chocolate, cider and beer and wine options. Coal Yard is located on Bonna Ave. just east of Ritter.
Like so many Irvington traditions, the Luminaria came about as a result of a couple of hardy souls with an idea. In 1976, the late Rose Mary Clarke (Chair of the Community Council) and Lawrence W. Tindall (Vice Chair) developed the idea of lighting candles at Christmas. They knew of the Hispanic tradition to light the way of the Christ child, but presented the idea to the council as a community event, a time to slow down and enjoy home and the bond of community. The council approved the idea. They found that Cash & Carry sold both bags and candles and began with 6 inch plumber’s candles which burned for 24 hours and #6 white bakery bags.
Sand was dumped in the Irvington Presbyterian lot. Kathy Tindall has a memory of Rose Mary Clarke and Patty Hawkins standing near the sand pile with a tea cup trying to determine how much sand to put in the bags. They were later quoted as choosing 4 cups.
The type of candle was later changed from the 24 hour burning plumber’s candle to a 10 hour burning votive candle. This caused some confusion. Several people hesitated to accept their orders and questioned whether the candles were “the regulation candles.”
People asked where to place the candles. The reply was on each crack in the sidewalk — about every 3 feet, or in more open spaces every 5 feet.
The first year they distributed about 3,500 candles. They were concentrated in the area near Ritter and Washington Street. Most were sold from the Tindall’s home. There were many interrupted meals as bags and candles were sold from their home. The council passed out fliers door to door and most of the religious organizations participated. They also involved clubs and other groups to help do the public properties.
The Luminaria provided some educational opportunities too. It is how the Tindall children learned to count — dividing out the 2,000 sacks into groups of 10 and counting out candles to match. This story is confirmed by both the Tindall children and grandchildren.
Now, you can buy kits from several local retailers (proceeds go to support next year’s Luminaria), and the sand is now at Ellenberger Park near the swimming pool. The Tindall family no longer sells the bags out of their home, but the Tindalls are still involved as tireless promoters of the spirit of Luminaria, or the Festival of Lights.
