BOZEMAN — One of Bozeman’s largest annual Christmas displays did not stop this year -- in fact, it even caught national acclaim.
Brodie Lesourd’s Christmas Land has raised money for good causes for at least two years now. First with the Bozeman Fire Department and this year with the Bozeman Police Department -- and once again, it did not disappoint.
“We had lines. Christmas Eve, we had limos coming by. There were buses. It was awesome,” Brodie Lesourd said.
If you were looking at Bozeman from the night sky, Lesourd’s Christmas Land lit up Shadowglen Drive.
“It was awesome. We had over 26,000 people come through. We had a great time,” Brodie Lesourd said. “There was a whole caravan of cars decorated that came through and I don’t know where they came from, but there was about 10 or 11 of them all decorated up."
More than 26,000 people turned out -- with elves like Brodie’s son, Micah, handing out more than 19,000 candy canes. Last year’s $40,000 display grew and featured four areas with music -- and even Brodie Lesourd lost count of the number of decorations.
But behind Rudolph and the lights is an ongoing mission. “We had officer Kristy from the Bozeman PD who handed out over 400 gift bags to the kids on Christmas Eve,” Brodie Lesourd said.
While it’s all free, a small container next to the hot cocoa station was taking donations for the second year in a row. Last year the duo raised more than $3,000 for the Bozeman Fire Department. This year -- with officers helping out on Christmas Eve -- the duo beat that record, raising $5,400 for the Bozeman Police Department.
“With such devastation from the Corona, people really needed to know that there was somewhere to go to get that Christmas spirit,” Brodie Lesourd said.
The display even got nationally recognized. So, next year they’ll be back at it with the Bozeman Warming Center in their sights. As you walk through the display again in 2021, Brodie and Micah hope their display -- donation or not -- brings something special to Shadowglen Drive.
Micah “I’m no poet here but…I guess thankful and to really understand the true meaning of Christmas,” Micah Lesourd concluded.
