How New Lenox Created a New Holiday Landmark with Floyd the Penguin

Industry

Cities, villages, local authorities

Challenge

Create a new illuminated landmark to refresh New Lenox’s festive experience while preserving its established identity.

Results

Floyd the penguin became a welcoming, photogenic and media-friendly icon, strengthening the long-term public appeal of Christmas in the Commons.

www.newlenox.net

Months Project

36 ft

Tall

+38.186

LEDS

"Rajaa and her team worked very well on the design for this project. We had to rework the design multiple times to meet the customer’s expectations and, like always, Leblanc did a masterful job at modifying the design. The product also shipped very well and installation was very simple based on the manufacturing techniques from Leblanc. You can see the years and years of experience paying off from design to manufacturing to installation. When you need excellent custom design and expert manufacturing, Leblanc leads our industry in both. We love working with Leblanc and would recommend them very highly."

Samantha Barkus

COO, Director of Events - AHD

About your Customer

In New Lenox, Illinois, Christmas in the Commons is a major family event, already known for its giant illuminated Santa.

To extend this local momentum, Artistic Holiday Designs and the municipality entrusted Leblanc Illuminations with creating Floyd, a monumental LED penguin designed to become a new lasting public seasonal symbol.

The Challenge :

The objective was to create a new illuminated landmark that would naturally integrate into an event already associated with a strong visual identity.

Floyd needed to complement the existing Santa display, create anticipation ahead of the opening and provide visitors with a memorable focal point for photos and social sharing.

Key Challenges

Preserve New Lenox's festive identity.
Create visual harmony with the giant Santa.
Design a highly visible entrance feature.
Encourage visitor engagement and photo opportunities.
Ensure safe installation and reliable international delivery.

The Solution :

Leblanc Illuminations developed a fully customized solution combining creative design, engineering expertise and international manufacturing capabilities.

Designed as a welcoming and instantly recognizable character, Floyd was carefully developed to maximize visibility from the entrance of the Village Commons while maintaining visual balance with the existing holiday installations.

Actions Delivered

Design of a 36 ft illuminated penguin
Integration of 38,186 professional LEDs
Custom design adapted for public interaction and photography
Engineering optimized for international transport
Simplified assembly for municipal installation teams
Coordination with Artistic Holiday Designs throughout the project

By combining creativity with operational efficiency, Leblanc transformed a seasonal decoration into a reusable destination asset capable of generating long-term value for the community.

The Results :

Installed at the entrance of the Village Commons for the 2025 season, Floyd immediately became a focal point of the event.

Key Results

Creation of a new holiday icon
Enhanced visitor experience
Strong photo and social media appeal
Successful integration alongside the giant Santa
Increased local and regional media visibility
Reusable attraction for future editions

This project demonstrates how custom holiday illuminations can become more than seasonal decorations. By combining creative storytelling, technical expertise and long-term vision, Leblanc Illuminations helped New Lenox create a recognizable community symbol designed to support visitor engagement for years to come

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