The Hugs for Brady Holiday Light Show in North Brunswick is expected to draw around 150,000 attendees.
NORTH BRUNSWICK -- The Hugs for Brady Holiday Light Show is expected to draw around 150,000 people over its five-week run. The event kicked off Friday.
Held on DeVry University's campus off Route 1, in North Brunswick, the show is hosted by the Hugs for Brady Foundation -- founded by Sherrie and Michael Wells, of Kendall Park, who lost their 23-month-old son, Brady Michael, in 2010 to a rare strain of leukemia. Since then, the couple and hundreds of volunteers have been dedicating their lives to ending childhood cancer.
The light show is the largest event the foundation has been a part of, according to Michael Wells.
On Friday evening, Mary Roth, of Edison, who was with her 10-year-old daughter and friend, said, "It's a great cause and a great way to start the holiday season."
Here are some of the best and brightest attractions featured:
- A majestic light show that runs at various times throughout the night, featuring computer-controlled, intelligent LED lights -- all of which can be individually altered to fit the show and music, according to Justin Bitner, owner of Lights Show Group LLC and the designer of the event.
- The Frost's Snow Zone where kids can get their faces painted for free using fluorescent, glow-in-the-dark paint.
- A giant bubble tree with a professional photography studio that offers attendees either instant-print photos or photos that can be uploaded online.
- Free balloons, gourmet food trucks and a spot to roast your own s'mores in a fire pit, free of charge.
- A 3-D ornament three stories high that greets you at the entrance. It is made up of around 35,000 Christmas lights.
- A 30-foot animated frosted-light tunnel and other interactive objects to be explored, including a huge gift box.
- An enormous, abstract tree that is covered in transparent balls. You can also grab a photo there.
- There are 20 fully decorated trees, one of which you will find sings a variety of holiday tunes.
- An 8-foot-tall, animatronic snowman with a built-in monitor and microphone that also sports some singing skills and maybe a few jokes too.
- Heated tents with crafters, ice sculptures, and a variety of vendors.
- A 50/50 raffle and a raffle that could win you a free car.
The Hugs for Brady Foundation has raised around $200,000 for cancer research this year alone, according to a statement from the foundation.
At the event Friday night, Sherrie Wells said, "We decided that there is not enough awareness (and) that kids get cancer too. And, currently, over 2,000 children are battling cancer in New Jersey."
Standing next to her husband, Michael, she added, "I just had a parent come up to me, and she told me that her son released a balloon in the sky because 'Brady needed a balloon to play with also.'"
The show runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 30, Monday to Thursday 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday to Sunday 4 to 10 p.m.
Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12.50 for seniors, college students and veterans, and $10 for children.
To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.hugsforbrady.org.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.