How it all began…

The transformation of Pikeville was the dream of Lola Sells – past owner of the Vaughn House Tea Room, current owner of “It’s Lola’s” antiques and collectibles shop and one of Pikeville’s most beloved citizens. “I was watching a Hallmark Christmas movie in the Spring of 2021, and they had all the trees and buildings on the streets in that little town lit up for Christmas,” said Lola. “I walked out on my steps and looked at our little town and thought, ‘We could be a Hallmark town!'”

Sells posted her belief on Facebook and received more than 200 comments in agreement. Making a list of interested people, she began her campaign to transform the town for the Christmas season. She began talking up the idea to everyone she knew and even visitors to town who came into her shop or whom she met on the street. Her next Facebook post was to let people know what was needed: lights, wreaths, bows – anything that would work to light up and decorate the town. “People started bringing in lights and wreaths, and I started buying up bags and totes of lights at yard sales,” said Lola. She soon discovered that others shared her dream of a picture-perfect Christmas.

Community Effort

As Lola was getting overhwhelmed by the responses, she needed assistance. “Fortunately, Jeff Henry, a retiree from the Knoxville area and owner of the Red Bird Manor, stepped up, offered to help and was a life saver. He helped with everything!” Lola had already called Bledsoe Telephone Co-op and SVEC, the Chamber of Commerce and the City and County Mayors, receiving full approval.

“Jeff and I had to start raising funds and I realized that just buying up yard sale lights wasn’t going to get the job done.” The town of Pikeville was awarded the project $10,000. With that commitment, a professional lighting company, NoogaLights, was contacted and they took care of the hard tasks – lighting that needed tall ladders, lifts, and professionals to do the job safely.  With those commitments in place, donations from other businesses and individuals began pouring in to fund the rest of the project. One of the local nurseries agreed to donate a huge tree for the courthouse lawn. The SVEC crew came with their bucket truck and put up wreaths on the second-story windows at the historic Ross House. Businesses up and down Main Street began lighting and decorating their buildings. The community truly embraced the project. It brought love from the town and the outlying communities. When NoogaLights lit up the water tank with lights, the dream was then a reality.

The first Light Up Pikeville kickoff was held in conjunction with the 25th annual Christmas Parade on November 26, 2021. An estimated 3,500 people lined the streets that night for the festivities. Holiday-related activities on the Main Street Stage and at other venues downtown during the kickoff and the following Saturdays in December were also well attended and provided additional boosts to the local economy. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of everybody working together to make this dream come true,” said Lola.

Light Up Pikeville 2024

We want to make Light Up Pikeville bigger and better by expanding the event to include more holiday activities and decorations throughout downtown. We are always looking for more volunteers to help with setting up and decorating, as well as assistance in securing donations to make the event even more magical.

If you are interested in volunteering with decorating or with donations, you can email LightUpPikeville@gmail.com or PaPendergrass@gmail.com. Join us in making Light Up Pikeville a holiday tradition that brings joy and cheer to all who attend.

Our first ‘work day’ with decorating downtown will be on Saturday, November 16th at 8am, meeting in front of the courthouse. Future work days will be announced at a later time.