Sparkling and Spectacular: The Holiday Light Show

julia_whitcombBy Julia Whitcomb
Photos courtesy of Marsha Mood

As a very enthusiastic Holiday Light Show (HLS) attendee, I enjoyed every minute of my visit to the 2015 show. It fascinates me that Rotary Gardens continues to make it more extravagant year after year. It doesn’t matter how many times I walk through the show, each time is still as enjoyable and intriguing as the first. The show is so good that people travel from neighboring cities, even neighboring states, to see the exciting display of colors and lights. Cars line up the entire stretch of Palmer Drive and buses shuttle people in from other parking lots because the excitement of the light show is contagious.

 Aside from the thousands upon thousands of lights, there are other perks that make the HLS spectacular! The cookies and cider at the Holiday Light Show are out of this world, and, the Gardens has a great group of volunteers that make a mean, piping hot cup of hot coco. The trains (that are set up every year) never fail to amaze me. It’s interesting to watch the multiple model trains running in all sorts of directions. I could spend a good amount of time just watching them loop around and around again. Plus, the sweet gentlemen that provide the train sets are among the nicest people I’ve met.

One of my all-time favorite things about the light show are the 3D glasses. This year was my first time purchasing a pair and I would recommend them to anyone. Not only do the lights pop out at you when you wear them, but they form shapes around the lights such as stars or snowflakes.

What better way to spend your night than to take a stroll down Candy Cane Lane or see one of Santa’s workshops? The light show can be anything that kids want it to be. It is a place where imaginations can run free. As for the adults, there is plenty for them to enjoy as well, including the amazing light show itself, live music and shopping in the Cottage Garden Gallery.

The HLS really puts me in the holiday spirit. Aside from being a magical place to go with friends and family, it can also be quite romantic. In my book, walking in the winter air, sipping hot cocoa, and gazing at all the lights is a good way to make a great impression on a date night. Another benefit is seeing the looks on the kid’s faces. In fact, you find yourself making faces very similar to theirs because all you want to do is look up and stare at the gorgeous dangling icicle lights, or gawk across the pond at many of the animated displays.

In fact, you find yourself making faces very similar to theirs because all you want to do is look up and stare at the dangling icicle lights, or gawk across the pond at many of the animated displays. And I know that everyone, no matter how old, gets a warm fuzzy feeling when you see live reindeer.

Taking a night out of your week to grab some hot chocolate and walk through the sparkling and spectacular gardens, lit from top to bottom, is something that I would truly recommend to everyone.

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