Mayor Karen McCullough proclaims Festival of Lights dates and Small Business Saturday in Manhattan

Mayor Karen McCullough read a proclamation recognizing the Manhattan Festival of Lights and announced opening ceremonies will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at Blue Earth Plaza adjacent to the Flint Hills Discovery Center. The proclamation described the event as a community-funded celebration supported by businesses and volunteers.

"I, Karen McCullough, do hereby declare November 28 through 01/01/2026 as Festival of Lights event in the city of Manhattan," McCullough said while reading the proclamation. Commissioners and meeting participants noted the event’s long-running history (the transcript identifies the current year as the 13th annual) and thanked parks staff and donors for their support.

McCullough also read a proclamation urging residents to shop at small, locally owned businesses on Small Business Saturday (cited in the proclamation as Nov. 29, 2025). A representative of the Manhattan small business community accepted the proclamation and thanked the commission, emphasizing that local retailers are vital to the city’s economy and to families that depend on locally owned establishments.

"Small businesses ... represent dreams, hard work. We've really invested in the community, and it's great when the community invest back in us and supports us," the chamber representative said after accepting the proclamation. The mayor and commissioners encouraged residents to attend the festival and support downtown merchants during the holiday season.

The proclamations were ceremonial and did not require further action by the commission.