Nature’s Coastal Holiday Festival of Lights organizers said Friday night's opening attracted 1,600 people to the event at Brookings Azalea Park. The theme of the lighting ceremony was 1st Responder Night. The ceremony began with Santa arriving on a City of Brookings Fire truck with Sparky the Fire Dog to magically light the display, which includes an animated Fire Truck, Police Car and Ambulance. The Festival of Lights is a month-long holiday light show and has been a favorite holiday tradition unique to the Brookings area since 1997. Organizers said two million LED lights are strung in the bushes and trees along Azalea Park's pathways for the holiday display. The lights are carefully strung by volunteers in early November.