A Lure of Lights Dance Through Hayward

HAYWARD - A well-known fishing town is thinking of different ways to attract tourists in the off season.

Hayward is in its third year of the Lure of Lights, and this year nearly every business in town is joining in on the holiday fun.

The City of Hayward is known for lumberjack championships and the biggest muskies in the world, but now they're going for a different kind of reputation in Christmas lights.

“It's all about bringing your family down here and making Hayward your tradition,” said Jan Beatty.

Beatty owns Sophie’s Dog Bakery on Main Street.

Her good friend and neighboring business owner, Barb Hand, came up with the idea for Lure of Lights three years ago.

This year, it’s grown to over 200,000 lights and 60 local businesses.

“It's normally a really slow time of year here, and this has got people in,” said co-owner of Legends of the Celts in downtown Hayward.

The tourist city is famous for its prize winning muskies, but when the temperatures drop, so do the number of visitors.

In the winter months, It's snowmobiling and skiing that bring in the people.

“Snow is a big deal here,” explained Beatty. “If we don't have snow, it makes it really hard for tourism to happen.”

A show like Lure of Lights wouldn't be possible if it weren't for help from business owners.

“It's small business,” explained co-owner of Anglers Bar & Grill, Larry Fuller. “It's small business day everyday around here.”

Lure of Lights was created to attract shoppers to Main Street during the winter months.

Now, the event has turned into more of a destination than anyone ever imagined.

“We love this town so much and we just knew that, Hayward can handle this,” said Beatty.

For a full list of Lure of Lights events, visit their website.