Stonington ―The Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce, which made international news last year with the Stonington Lobster Trap Tree, is undertaking an even larger project in both Stonington and Westerly next month.

The Starry Lights project will create a light trail, from Wilcox Park in Westerly to Donahue Park in Pawcatuck, called the Walk of Wonder, out of large-scale art installations created by artists in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Konicki said, “for those people that actually come here from Pennsylvania and New York-- if you’re going to come for the Lobster Tree, guess what—six miles down the road, here’s our sister project, and it’s amazing.”

Konicki described the $95,000 exhibit as comprised of “amazing, eye popping, illuminated sculptures in the theme of a star,” and added it will be “like a winter wonderland, magical location.”

“I think big, and I like to meet our mission of creating a positive economy in creative ways,” she explained.

The Walk of Wonder is scheduled to open Dec. 9 at 4:30 p.m.

Because the chamber serves both Stonington and Westerly areas, Konicki said that, after the success of the Stonington Lobster Trap Tree, she knew she had to do something equally impressive for Westerly.

The challenge was to find something that engaged the community, children and local businesses, and offered free admission.

Before the lobster trap tree even came down in early 2023, she took a drive to Chester to see the work of Christopher Owens, an artist who made 300 simple wooden stars over two years, which were mounted on homes and businesses throughout the town.

Konicki wanted to take what he created and expand on it.

She said she met with Owens and told him, “I want to rip off your idea and put a little Konicki magic on it and make it 10 times bigger than what you’re doing.”

According to Konicki, their collaboration began with them dreaming big.

And then got bigger.

It began with the chamber commissioning Owens to build a 15-foot tall and 40-foot long tunnel, made of 40 individual stars connected together and illuminated, that visitors can walk through, at a cost of $12,600.

The project slowly expanded to include artists from both Connecticut and Rhode Island, including local artist D Derek, whom the chamber commissioned to create a 9-foot tall, 9-foot-wide star sculpture that Konicki said looks like a crystal chandelier and is perfect for a family to stand for a photograph.

The final project is made up of a dozen large scale sculptures, including a 24-foot by 24-foot star sculpture that will float in Wilcox Pond, its lights reflecting off the water.

In addition to the large scale illuminated sculptures, which are large enough to walk through or stand in, the chamber bought 1,400 balsa wood stars and distributed them to school in Westerly and Stonington schools as well as St. Michael School in Pawcatuck. Children painted one side and wrote their wish for the future on the other side. They will be displayed on the Wall of Wishes, one of which will be in Donahue Park with Stonington children’s wishes and one in Wilcox Park with Westerly children’s wishes.

Businesses that sponsor the project across the two towns will also receive stars, some made of metal, driftwood, seashells, crystals, or other materials, to hang or display in their store fronts.

Wilcox Park will also feature an Infinity Garden featuring shooting stars that memorialize loved ones who have passed away.