Seasonal Lighting Displays Brighten Parks Across the Country
Mickey Mouse no longer has a corner on the market for holiday lighting extravaganzas.
Holiday fairs are lighting up across the US and Canada, giving families a bright way to share the holiday spirit. The themes range from traditional Christmas to elaborate fairs.
“We’ve’ created a theme park that lasts for one-and-a-half months and then disappears into pixie dust,” said Erich Rigling, creative designer for Global Winter Wonderland in Sacramento. “Each of the structures were individually built on site by 60 artisans from China.”
Global Winter Wonderland is based on China’s lantern festivals dating to 200 BC. The festivals heralded the start of the Chinese New Year.
Other light festivals take on the character of the hosting city. Los Angeles has turned its internationally-recognized zoo into a holiday theme park.
Greenfield Village, Mich., on the outskirts of Detroit, has setup a traditional Christmas village among its extensive park grounds. In Texas, families can travel the colorful Austin Trail of Lights, a mile-long Christmas display.
Here are some of the major locations for Christmas fairs:
West Coast
San Francisco: Holiday Nights & Sights
Enjoy a classic cable car ride up and down the streets of San Francisco to view landmarks lit up in holiday style.
Sacramento: Global Winter Wonderland
Bundle up and walk among glowing depictions of global sites such as the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Los Angeles: LA Zoo Lights
Enjoy a not-so-typical evening at the LA Zoo where fantastical light displays transform your stroll through the park.
Mid West
Chicago, IL: Wonderland Express at the Botanic Gardens
Wonderland Express combines the love of trains and city sights in an indoor light extravaganza for all ages.
Detroit, MI: Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village
Take a step back in time down a lantern-lit path through a Christmas village complete with chestnuts roasting, carolers singing and sleigh bells ringing.
http://www.thehenryford.org/events/holidayNights.aspx
Morrow, OH: The Christmas Ranch
A whimsical walkthrough holiday light display features more than one-million lights dancing to holiday music.
http://www.thechristmasranch.com/
Clifton, OH: The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill
Celebrate the season with a visit to the Historic Clifton Grist Mill where 3.5 million lights illuminate the mill, a cascading waterfall and a 19th century covered bridge.
East Coast:
Yardley, PA: Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show
Drive your own car or ride in an open-air wagon through acres of Shady Brook Farm transformed by 3 million lights into a holiday wonderland.
http://shadybrookfarm.com/holiday-light-show/
Columbia, MD: Symphony of Lights
Enjoy more than 70 larger-than-life, animated and stationary light creations. Choose to drive through these magical displays or bundle up and take the 1.4 mile stroll on foot.
Southern US
Austin, TX: Austin Trail of Lights
Come celebrate 50 years of Austin Trail of Lights. New and updated light displays take you on the 1.25 mile journey through a Christmas wonderland.
http://austintrailoflights.org/
Canada
Ontario: Winter festival of Lights
Sponsored by the Ontario Power Generation, Winter Festival of Lights is a million-plus light display throughout the Ontario tourist district. Walk or drive the five kilometer illumination route. A favorite winter attraction for local residents and visitors for more than 30 years.
http://niagarafallstourism.com/events/winter-festival-of-lights/