| |
“Can Santa even see with all these lights?”
 |
Festive Asheville. The North Carolina city lights up for the holidays.
COURTESY ASHEVILLE CVB/CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
|
Christine Louise Hohlbaum, a mom of two young children, laughs when she remembers her inquisitive daughter’s reaction to last season’s light displays in Virginia.
“My entire family lives in and around Charlottesville,” she says. “Whenever we visit during the holidays we go to a private home whose light display gets bigger every year. My children, who live in Germany with us, sit in the back seat of the car awestruck. We don’t have many Christmas lights in Germany.”
There are so many lights in east Tennessee that Santa may very well need to wear sunglasses when he brings his sleigh in for a landing. Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville host an annual Winterfest celebration that runs four months, from November to
February, and features zillions of
twinkling lights.
Judy Mrozkowski of Marion, N.C., says it just wouldn’t be Christmas to her if she and her husband didn’t travel to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge each year to enjoy the lights.
“It’s become part of our Christmas tradition,” says Mrozkowski. “The word I would use is magical. We spend time shopping and then at night cruise through and see the lights.”
For Jane Renfroe, who lives in a mountain cove in Madison County, N.C., the holidays become more special when she pays a visit to Biltmore Village in Asheville.
“When I think of lights at Christmas, what comes to mind for me is the charm of Biltmore Village. It’s just this quiet presence throughout the holiday season. It adds to the festivities.
“This year I plan to venture out to more holiday light displays,” Renfroe continues. “My granddaughter is 12 years old, and it will be a great tradition to start with her to travel to different displays each year.”
You don’t have to travel far in the Blue Ridge to find dozens of mesmerizing displays of holiday lights. From twinkling white lights outlining homes
and businesses in the region to dazzling neon lights moving to the beat of music – there’s a wide variety of displays to capture the imagination of every age. We’ve selected a sampler of sorts to inspire your holiday travel plans.
Alabama
Huge colorful butterflies sparkling in the night, Christmas trees glowing beside a few packages… these are part of the animated light displays that glow throughout the Huntsville Botanical Garden beginning in mid-November and running through the New Year. The Galaxy of Lights offers a chance to walk through the twinkling bulb scenes Nov. 17-20, 5-8 p.m. The traditional drive-through nights are slated daily from 5:30 to 9 p.m., Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. 256/430-3572, www.hsvbg.org/gol.htm#.
Georgia
 |
In the Georgia mountains. The towns of Helen and Cleveland are lit up on
December 2, including even the courthouse in more festive fare.
COURTESY WHITE COUNTY |
A big kickoff to the holiday season is set for Dec. 2, 2006, in White County, home of the alpine village of Helen and the town of Cleveland, best known as the home of Babyland General where the Cabbage Patch Kids are born.
There’s a daylong slate of activities, which culminate in a lighted Christmas parade in Cleveland at 7 p.m.
“This is our seventh year for the lighted parade,” says Vicky Frankum of the White County Chamber of Commerce. “People can start the day with a tour of homes. Then they can go to the Helen Christmas parade at 2 p.m., on to the Festival of Trees in the Unicoi State Park and then to the town square in Cleveland for arts and crafts, photos with Santa, and then the lighted Christmas parade.” 706/865-5356, www.whitecountychamber.org
Kentucky and Virginia
Breaks Interstate Park will host its seventh annual Mountain Top Lights this holiday season. Sometimes called the “Grand Canyon of the South,” the park is located in the mountains of two states, where Dickenson and Buchanan County, Va. and Pike County, Ky. join. The exhibit will include lights depicting leaping frogs and white water rafting among other arrangements. The display will run Nov. 10-Jan. 1 from 6-10 p.m. 276/865-4413, 1-800-982-5122, www.breakspark.com.
North Carolina
 |
Biltmore by candlelight. The Asheville mansion celebrates the holidays with more intimate illuminations.
COURTESY BILTMORE ESTATE |
Christmas candlelight evenings at Asheville’s Biltmore Estate allow visitors to see George Vanderbilt’s treasures by the glow of candles and logs burning in the fireplaces. The enchantment begins at 5:30 p.m. and runs Nov. 4-Dec. 31, with the exceptions of Nov. 21, 23, Dec. 24 and 25. Reservations required. 1-800-211-9805, www.biltmore.com.
Near the entrance to Biltmore Estate, the quaint houses and buildings of Biltmore Village look like something straight out of a fairytale, decorated by rows of white lights. The annual Dickens Christmas in the Village takes place the first weekend in December and features horse-drawn carriage rides, performers who stroll the streets in
Victorian costumes, music and, of course,
holiday lights.
Maryland
The Kris Kringle procession winds its way through downtown Frederick and concludes at the Baker Park Bandshell with a ceremony to light the city’s tree. Also in Frederick, a candlelight house tour in the historic district gives visitors a glimpse of private homes ornately illuminated and decorated for the Christmas season. The dates this year are Dec. 2 from 5:30 to 9 p.m., and Dec. 3 from noon to 4 p.m. 301/694-2489.
Antietam National Battlefield will hold its 17th annual Memorial llumination on Saturday, Dec. 2. Around 23,000 candles will glow across the five-mile long park total – one for every soldier who died or was injured during the Civil War battle. The display opens to the public at 6 p.m. (In the event of poor weather, the illumination will be rescheduled for Dec. 9). Drivers are encouraged to use parking lights only. www.nps.gov/archive/anti/Luminary.htm.
South Carolina
The biggest holiday light display in upstate South Carolina is held each year at the Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville. The brilliant lights are displayed along a mile and a half drive. It takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. nightly between Thanksgiving and Dec. 30. 864/355-8901, www.ropermountainholidaylights.com.
Tennessee
 |
Lights of Tennessee. Gatlinburg contributes its illuminating welcome to WinterFest.
COURTESY GATLINBURG DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM |
In downtown Chattanooga, the first event of the town’s Winter Days and Lights series is called Christmas on the River and Grande Illumination. Scheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving, it begins with a lighted boat parade on the Tennessee River. Santa and dancers entertain after the parade, and then the city explodes fireworks, which signal the lighting of Chattanooga’s skyline for the holiday season. 423/265-0771, www.downtownchattanooga.org.
Near Chattanooga, on top of Lookout Mountain, Rock City hosts visitors to its 12th annual Enchanted Garden of Lights, Nov. 17-Jan. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. (with the exception of Christmas night). It features more than 25 scenes that transform the gardens with spectacular lights, including glittering snowflakes and a life-sized gingerbread house.
1-877-820-0759, www.seerockcity.com.
Christmas in the City takes place with a variety of events in Knoxville Nov. 1-Dec. 31. Up on the Rooftops, the lighting of Knoxville’s skyline, is slated for Nov. 12, with a dazzling display of lit trees. Holiday cruises on the Star of Knoxville board nightly and sail the Tennessee River from 7 to 9 p.m., Dec. 1-23. 865/525-7827.
Virginia
The annual Dickens of a Christmas celebration transforms downtown Roanoke into a Victorian town during the first three Friday evenings in December. Each Friday is marked with a special event: Dec. 1 is the city’s annual tree lighting, followed by the holiday Christmas parade; Holiday Traditions Through the Ages is on Dec. 8, and a pet costume contest and outdoor movie take place Dec. 15. In addition, there are horsedrawn carriage rides, carolers, vendors, jugglers, street performances and more. The shops stay open late, and there’s plenty of hot cider, popcorn
and roasted chestnuts. 540/342-2028, www.downtownroanoke.org.
West Virginia
Bluefield sets Lotito City Park ablaze each year with thoughts of twinkling bulbs for its Holiday of Lights Festival. There are special walk through evenings to enjoy the lights from a different perspective. The event includes bands, choirs, horse-drawn wagon rides
and a visit from Santa. Held Nov. 23-
Jan. 6, dusk until 11 p.m. nightly. 304/327-2448.
The Appalachian Coal Town Christmas and Light Festival takes place Dec. 1-3, from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia. Enjoy underground coal mine tours
with light displays, a bonfire with
marshmallow roasting, a visit from Santa and special holiday performances. 304/256-1747.
—with additional reporting by
Catherine Estep
|
|
