Great Otsego Light Trail Switches On

By TED MEBUST

OTSEGO COUNTY – With end-of-year holidays around the corner and Santa Claus making appearances countywide, locals are warming to the season’s festivities. To add to the list of anticipated events this December, Otsego County welcomes back The Great Otsego Light Trail.

Started in November 2019 by LEAF, an area nonprofit health and safety organization, The Great Otsego Light Trail maps a county-wide outline of the best light shows on display this holiday season.

“The idea for the light trail started when I began to see people posting beautiful light displays from around our communities on Facebook,” said Julie Dostal, LEAF executive director. “I had heard of light trails in other areas and began to wonder if anyone was keeping a list of displays. After searching and asking around, I didn’t find one, so I thought, ‘how hard could it be?’”

Made up of mostly residential homes, the map currently includes over 27 locations, though submissions are accepted and open through Christmas this year. Locations on the map range from as far south as Unadilla to Schuyler Lake at the county’s northern end.

This year’s theme is “Celebrate Safely,” which reminds drivers to be safe and sober when enjoying the display, emphasizing the event’s taking place during National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.

For more information on this year’s Great Otsego Light Trail, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/GreatOtsegoLightTrail or the map at tinyurl.com/2gbz8z9m