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Oglebay Park Officials Prepare to Kick-Off Annual Winter Festival of Lights

Photos by Scott McCloskey Oglebay Park employees string lights at the front entrance of Wilson Lodge Wednesday.

WHEELING — In a year that’s seemingly been nothing but dark and gloomy, the annual Light-Up Night at Oglebay Park could not have come at a better time to help brighten the Ohio Valley’s collective mood.

Park officials and guests will gather this evening for the kick-off to the annual Winter Festival of Lights event. Maintenance crews have been busy over the past few weeks preparing the lights for their unveiling.

The king of holiday cheer, old Kris Kringle himself, will be on hand today to flip the switch and open the lights show. The lights are set to turn on at 6:15 p.m. today, and the light-up event will take place on the West Spa patio at Wilson Lodge.

“We’re just tying all the ends together. … We’re just working on all the little stuff — making sure things are powered up,” Festival of Lights Supervisor LeeAnn Naumann said. “We go around and test (lights) at night in different areas. We still have trees to decorate this week … and they (finished) up the nativity.”

Naumann said she learned a lot about setting up for the annual lights festival from recently retired Festival Foreman Harry Himrod, who had worked with the festival since its inception nearly 35 years ago. “He’s taught me everything I know. He’s a wonderful guy,” she said.

The Festival of Lights, which has illuminated the historic park since 1985, has grown into one of the nation’s largest holiday light shows, attracting more than 1 million visitors each year. The light show features more than 1 million LED lights incorporated in nearly 90 displays and trees that cover 300-plus acres over a six-mile drive through Oglebay Park.

During last festival season, Oglebay’s Senior Vice President Rod Haley said the holographic technology has added a new perspective to the show over the last few years. He said the conversion to LED lights has enhanced the show in new ways and added an exciting new twist to the show.

Following the Thursday evening kick-off event, the festival will continue each evening through Jan. 10.

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