No holiday lights this year at the Park Blocks in Eugene

Instead, the city distributed them to 20 businesses in the downtown area for them to put up.

Basin.

New tonight at 11-- something is a little different this holiday season in downtown eugene.

The usual holiday lights at the park blocks are not up!

Kezi nine news reporter connor mccarthy joins us live from downtown eugene and tells us why the city decided not to decorate this year.

Jamie--during normal times-- the park blocks behind me would be lit up with colorful lights for the holidays.

But not this year.

Because of expenses for the pandemic--- the city says they couldn't afford to put the lights up this year.

But they're not necessarily gone.

Also because of covid-19-- the city had to cancel its annual "light up eugene" festivites.

These are scenes from years in the past.

Now this year--it's dark.

However the city distriubted the lights to 20 businesses in the downotwn area.

Manifest beer company at the corner of broadway and willamette street was one of those.

An employee told me off camera-- the lights bring a sense of normalcy and holiday cheer to a year that hasn't been so cheerful jamie-- the city of eugene says by allowing local businessess to put up the lights--saves the city thousands of dollars.

They say the cost of the lights---and keeping the lit isn't whats high.

It's the labor to put them up in the trees.

Live in eugene connor mccarthy kezi