One of the world’s tallest advent calendars is debuting in downtown Jacksonville, Illinois for the 2022 Holiday Season.
The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company has transformed its 1913 building into one of the biggest countdowns to Christmas in the world. The 24 windows on the 110 ft tall (34 m) building have come alive for the month December, and will reveal a new icon of Christmas each day until December 25.
“We are honored to use our building to brighten the holidays with this fantastic display,” said Joy French Becker, President and Chairman of the Board. “We hope everyone is able to come to Central Park in Jacksonville, and celebrate the countdown until Christmas with the Jacksonville community.”
Just like an Advent calendar in your home, the bank will reveal a new icon of Christmas each day as new window is displayed throughout the month, starting December 1, 2022. And, just like a home advent calendar that contains candy, the public is invited to go inside the bank lobby or drive-up lanes and get a sweet treat to celebrate the days until Christmas.
The idea for the calendar began in the summer of 2022, when retired English teacher, Pat Kennedy, was relaxing in Jacksonville’s Central Park and gazed up at the new windows they had installed in the historic bank tower. Kennedy started counting windows, and realized it was the correct amount for an advent calendar. “It was obvious almost instantly,” says Kennedy. “It was the perfect location.”
His thoughts were shared with Jo Ann Nelson, a retired German teacher from Jacksonville High School, and designer Steven Varble. Nelson was familiar with similar displays in Germany, and confirmed the idea would work well for the tower. Varble had taken on large projects in the past, and agreed to help with the design of the project. The group approached the bank with the idea, and it evolved into the display we see today.
“We were cautiously skeptical at first,” said Elizabeth Becker, current bank Executive Vice President. “But the more we explored the idea, the more excited we became. Then, we began to look online and found that while there had been slightly larger displays in the past in Europe, we believe this to be tallest today. My own children are very excited to see the building transform each day until Christmas!”
The countdown to Christmas will happen each day in December, transforming the number in each window to an image of Christmas. Visitors are invited to visit the bank lobby or drive-up during banking hours to sign up for prizes the Bank will be giving away to celebrate the days of the Advent calendar. They can also visit their West Morton location in Jacksonville. The display will remain up through January 6, 2023.
The Farmers Bank and Trust Company is located at 200 West State in downtown Jacksonville, Illinois, overlooking Jacksonville’s Central Park. The bank lobby is open Monday thru Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Although viewable all day long, the display is most striking at dusk and later. The building will remain lit each night til 2 am.
About The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company:
The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company has been proudly serving the Morgan County Community for over 100 years. It was organized in 1910 by a group of prominent businessmen and farmers in the Morgan County area, and officially opened for business on January 4, 1911.
Currently, Joy French Becker serves as President and Chairman of the Board, and is working with the fourth generation to carry on the commitment to Morgan County and the Jacksonville community. Joy’s daughters, Kristan Becker Hoffman and Elizabeth French Becker serve as Executive Vice Presidents.
In July of 1941, the Bank moved to its current location at 200 West State Street, a building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This site, formally known as the Ayers National Bank Building, has been associated with banking longer than any other site in Illinois.
