Bid Adieu To 2020 By Joining Batavia's 'The Longest Night' Event

BATAVIA, IL — The year 2020 has been one of the worst on record for people across the world and in Batavia. But now, with Illinois on the road to vaccination, an end could soon be in sight.

This Monday, Batavia residents are invited to join their neighbors in bidding adieu to 2020, "The Longest Night."

The event is organized by the Batavia Ministerial Association, Batavia Chamber of Commerce, Batavia Access Television (BATV), Batavia Counselors’ Collaboration and Suicide Preventions Services.

And, participation in "The Longest Night" is simple: Residents on Monday are asked to step outside their homes at 6 p.m. and light a candle, ring a bell or sound a horn.

This simple act, according to organizers, lets neighbors unite in releasing the past and looking toward the future.

“As friends and neighbors, we can stand together in grief and hope. In these small but significant ways, we will acknowledge our pain and look forward in hope to the light that is coming. We hope that you will participate in this opportunity,” the group said in a statement.

The event will be held on the winter solstice, the 24-hour period with the most darkness for North America. On Monday, the sun will rise at 7:17 a.m. and set at 4:25 p.m., offering only 9 hours and 8 minutes of daylight.

But, much like the night of the solstice, the troubles of 2020 cannot last forever. The #togetherWECAN campaign from the Batavia Counselors’ Collaboration aims to reassure residents exactly that — that togetherness and mental health strategies can help everyone persevere the pandemic.

Residents can check out the event on Facebook and even RSVP to receive a reminder before it begins. So, get your candles, bells and horns ready; it's time to say goodbye to 2020.