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Watch an elaborate ‘Purple Rain’ holiday lights tribute

via Park Ridge Lights on Facebook
via Park Ridge Lights on Facebook

by Hanna Bubser

December 06, 2017

In Minnesota, we honor and celebrate the life of Prince all year long — December included. This holiday season, Illinois's Park Ridge Lights is also shining a purple light (actually, thousands of them) to raise money for a good cause.

Each year for the past four years, homeowners Tom and Tina Grusecki have decked the outside of their Park Ridge, Ill. home with an extreme amount of holiday cheer, resulting in a spectacular light show. Through the attention raised by their lights, they solicit contributions to a charitable cause.

This year, through the St. Baldrick's Foundation, which fundraises for childhood cancer research, they are raising money for a young boy named Benicio Martinez. Martinez is battling cancer and is a classmate of the Gruseckis' son. Their fundraiser is called "Light the way for Benny", and the light show this year includes a display that reads "Benicio Strong."

In addition to a few other songs, this year's display features a Prince tribute set to "Purple Rain." The display turns the entire home a sparkling shade of purple and includes a projection of Prince performing the song live in concert. Park Ridge Lights posted a clip of the impressive dedication on their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/parkridgelights/videos/vb.719017428246957/896317800516918/?type=2&theater

If you're in the Chicago suburbs this season, you can catch the show live until Dec. 26.

Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.