It’s a mild Saturday afternoon in early December. Jennifer McDaniel and Bonnie Pittman are getting horses ready for carriage rides during Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights.
McDaniel attaches the iconic sleigh bells to Lilly, a Norwegian Fjord, a smaller but very strong draft horse.
Horseshoe Bend Carriage Company will have five horse-drawn carriages tonight. They expect a strong crowd due to mild weather.
Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights is an important fundraiser for the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center in Evansville, which provides a variety of essential therapy services no matter the income level of the patient. It runs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.
More than 80 sponsored light displays line the 1-mile walking path around the park, which is either driven by car, or ridden by horse and carriage.
There were 15,000 rides last year, which amounted to $186,000 for therapy sessions.
“Each ride benefits Easter Seals,” said Sheila O’Risky, carriage company co-owner. “Each carriage holds up to six people, and it's a Christmas tradition. A lot of people come back every year with their children.”
It’s a tradition and service Sheila and husband Randy are proud to continue.
Sheila is getting feisty draft horse Gypsy ready for rides.
“We share what we have,” she said. “We’re blessed with what we have, we’re blessed with the horses.”
Spouse and co-owner Randy O’Risky said it is “off-the-charts” busy the whole month from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. “We’re out here most days, weather permitting.”
Both have other full-time jobs.
Giving Gypsy a gentle pat on the rump, he said the business requires a love of horses, and some “gumption” because they all eat three pounds of feed every day, twice per day.
They do weddings, facilitate wedding proposals and even host make-a-wish rides. They commonly split up their crew to cover two events at once, for example the University of Evansville event Winter on Walnut. They no longer have a presence downtown; they found the ridership was too low.
As the dusk light fades, the multitudes of wire shapes lining Garvin Park begin to twinkle and take shape — lots of Santas doing things like driving petroleum trucks, gassing up classic cars.
There are dragons, reindeer and bicyclists. Families begin to que in for a carriage ride.
Pam Kirk is communications and impact specialist for Easter Seals. She said the 2023 event raised $186,000.
“We like to remind people that when they come to ritzy Fantasy of Lights, not only are they making memories with their family, but they are giving a gift of greater independence to a local person with a disability, whether that's a child who's taking their first steps because of therapy services, or an adult who has had an injury and is getting back to work because of therapy."
The carriages and cars slowly wind through the one-mile loop, children leaning from vehicles for a better look at the 80-plus displays.
“You know, Ritzy Fantasy of Lights is a special event, regardless of how you experience it,” Kirk said. “Driving through in a vehicle is wonderful, but I really feel like the carriage ride experience adds a whole different perspective.
“You feel even more a part of the scenes. It's just you experience it in a totally different way. You're really among the lights, and it's just so special.”
