(See National Award Christmas Lighting Shows at end of this story)
(Special to The Travelling Adventurer)
SEVIERVILLE, Tn. – Sevierville and the Great Smoky Mountains area are now “twinkling” with millions of lights as the annual Smoky Mountain Winterfest Celebration kicked off this this month for the 26th year.
Smoky Mountain Winterfest (running now through February 29, 2016) has become a holiday tradition for many who return year after year to enjoy the lights, shopping, shows and attractions, and this year has been deemed extra special with two new activities for visitors to experience:
1. Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas of Light at Smoky Mountain Palace (November 1 – January 2) – This exciting new Christmas show is a live music event featuring the beloved art of world-renowned artist, Thomas Kinkade. The show weaves together the masterpieces of Thomas Kinkade with new music by award winning composers along with Christmas classics, and promises breathtaking, high-definition projection, special effects, and awe-inspiring music to bring Kinkade’s beautiful masterpieces to life. www.thomaskinkadechristmas.com
2. Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland at Smokies Stadium (November 6 – January 3) – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland returns to Smokies Baseball Stadium for its seventh season of festive lights, jolly tunes, tasty treats, and Santa himself. Guests simply tune in their radio, and watch the magic unfold as they drive through thousands of brilliant LED lights dancing in perfect synchronization with the music filling their vehicle. This year, Shadrack has added one of their most highly acclaimed displays, two “walls of lights” that each span 220 feet that guests drive between. Also debuting this season is a half-mile of displays featuring some favorite childhood tales like Little Red Riding Hood, Jack be Nimble, the Princess and the Frog, Little Miss Muffet, and many more.
The festivities continue beyond the driving route, too. November 20th through December 27, guests of the light show can stay to visit Santa’s Village where they can meet and have a photo with Santa Claus (Nov. 20 - Dec. 23) while enjoying festive refreshments like hot cocoa, apple cider, Christmas cookies, kettle corn and much more. http://www.shadrackchristmas.com/
In addition to these new experiences, Smoky Mountain Winterfest offers a number of other ways for friends and family to get in the holiday spirit. For example, Tanger Outlets Sevierville will be adding more than 100,000 new lights to their holiday décor this year. For added fun, visitors can make a quick stop on their way into town at the Sevierville Visitor Center on Hwy 66 (1.5 miles from I-40 Exit 407), where they can purchase a pair of Winterfest in 3D glasses while supplies last for only $1. The glasses shift each point of light into a snowflake, adding even more interest to the intricate light displays.
Winterfest lights and Christmas shows are a huge draw, but once visitors arrive in Sevierville they also find incredible shopping and attractions. Sevierville features nearly 150 name brand outlet stores where shoppers can find everything from fine China and clothing to tools and furniture. Specialty retail shops featuring items like fine art, antiques and collectibles and outdoor items are also popular. Visitors can even take a piece of Winterfest home by visiting stores like Country Christmas & Collectibles where Winterfest style lighting displays are for sale and custom displays are built to order.
For more information about visiting Sevierville and the Great Smoky Mountains during Winterfest, contact the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. 1-888-SEVIERVILLE (738-4378) or (865) 453-6411 or online at www.VisitSevierville.com.
Mission Inn Festival of Lights Wins Top Honors
St. Augustine, Charleston, Couer d’Alene and Pine Mountain displays also winners
The competition for Best Public Lights Display was intense, and from the 20 nominees selected by Deborah Norville of Inside Edition, the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside, Calif. came out on top, earning the honor of being called America’s Best Public Lights Display by USA Today readers.
The free SoCal holiday event transforms Main Street and the Mission Inn into a twinkling winter wonderland, complete with SoCal weather. How can you beat that?
Night of Lights in Downtown St. Augustine on the opposite side of the country came close, with a solid second place finish. Rounding out the top five were the Holiday Festival of Lights in Charleston, Holiday Lights Show in Coeur d’Alene and Fantasy in Lights in Pine Mountain.
The winners of ‘Best Public Lights Display’ category in our USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice contest are as follows:
1. Festival of Lights - Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
2. Nights of Lights - Downtown St. Augustine
3. Holiday Festival of Lights - James Island
4. Holiday Lights Show - Coeur d’Alene Resort
5. Fantasy in Lights - Callaway Gardens
6. Magic Christmas in Lights - Bellingrath Gardens
7. Christmas on Main Street - Silver Dollar City
8. Dominion Garden of Lights-Norfolk Botanical Garden
9. Garden Lights - Atlanta Botanical Garden
10. Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill - Clifton Mill
Many of these displays run through the end of the year, so get out and enjoy some holiday cheer!
CHICAGO MUSEUM YULE LIGHTS SPECTACULAR
CHICAGO — The switch was flipped today at The Museum of Science and Industry on a time honored tradition.
The high tech future is keeping one of MSI’s oldest traditions alive: Christmas Around The World.
51 beautifully decorated tress now line the museum’s main floor. When Christmas Around the World started here 74 years ago during World War II, there was only one.
Today each of the 12 foot trees is decorated by a volunteer group representing different ethnic communities across the area. Angels adorn the Luxembourg tree, beautiful blue ribbons and white pearls make the Greece tree sparkle and tasty waffles dangle from the Belgium tree.
And red ribbons and lights set the French tree aglow. Several visitors today stopped by to see how this tree would be represented, so soon after the attacks that shook that nation and the world. This year the Eiffel Tower sits atop the tree decorated with iconic pictures of French culture; The Arch de Triumph, The Moulin Rouge and more. Although times there are dark as they were here in Chicago when this tradition started in 1942, Christmas Around the World serves as a reminder to many what the season is all about.
Christmas Around the World: Holiday of Light & Robot Revolution
Through Jan. 3rd
