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Mary Lane organizers ask Seaford for traffic help and sign support for popular holiday light drive
Summary
Mary Lane's volunteer committee updated council on the light display, reported 2024 attendance and donations, and requested city support for traffic control, use of a Kiwanis sign and volunteer help for 2025 operations.
Members of the Mary Lane committee and director Elizabeth Barzak updated Seaford City Council on plans for the Mary Lane holiday light display and asked for limited city support for traffic management and event advertising.
Elizabeth Barzak, director of Mary Lane, described the project as a long-running, free drive-through holiday light tradition that the volunteer committee took on after Cut Them Up Trees transferred the display. Barzak said the exhibit relied on significant volunteer hours and local donations and serves as a free community event: "Values. This is really why I wanted to talk to you guys today, what we're about," she said, emphasizing community spirit and family outreach.
Barzak presented operational data from the 2024 season: the committee recorded about 3,324 cars over 17 opening nights, donated over $7,000 across 14 local charities, and counted more than 3,324 candy canes distributed. She told council the volunteer commitment exceeds 1,000 hours annually (breakdown provided: roughly 400 hours setup; 300 hours running the show; 45 hours breakdown; and 120 hours for meetings and planning). The committee also partners with numerous local nonprofits and businesses and is already planning Santa nights and community events for the 2025 season.
The committee asked for three areas of support from the city: assistance with traffic control at the property entrance on Elks Road (including possible coordination with DelDOT or the county), permission to post event information on the Kiwanis sign to help advertise in the southern part of the city, and volunteer participation by council members or city staff on selected winter nights. Barzak said volunteers already guide traffic and the site offers safety equipment, but high-volume nights (especially Santa nights) generate backups and could benefit from trained traffic control.
Council members praised the volunteer effort and said the event brings positive economic and social benefits to Seaford. Several council members offered to volunteer and asked staff to coordinate the Kiwanis sign posting. The committee said the 2025 run will again open 17 nights beginning the Saturday after Thanksgiving and that they will return with logistics updates as event planning continues.
