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It Began With
a Small Idea
Light the Night began after Hurricane Helene with a small idea: to bring people together during the darkest days of the year and create a little light and hope. Street Creature Puppet Collective said yes from the very beginning, helping transform that simple idea into something larger, more magical, and more beautiful than imagined. What began with handmade lanterns and a walk beside the French Broad River has grown into an annual gathering rooted in creativity, nature, connection, and the belief that making something beautiful together matters.
Liberty Hanson Wild is an artist, storyteller, and the founder of Light the Night. Her work explores the places where art, nature, beauty, and human connection meet. She is also developing Deeply Rooted, an ongoing exploration of what helps us feel more connected to ourselves, one another, and the lives we are creating. She finds joy in making art, bringing people together, and creating experiences that invite us to slow down, notice, and connect.
Jen Murphy is an artist, teacher, tree hugger, communitarian, and the director of the
Street Creature Puppet Collective.
She loves parades!
Verena Wieloch is a psychotherapist, facilitator, and lifelong student of the patterns that connect people and the natural world. She finds joy in geometry, tending the wild health of her Asheville yard and garden, and is an active member of Great Tree Zen Center. She helps organize Light the Night as an expression of her interest in community, beauty, and the relationships between people and the landscapes they inhabit.