Volunteers have transformed Rhea County fairgrounds in Evensville, Tenn., with thousands of light strands that wind around a 20-foot Christmas tree, form a 30-foot-high tunnel of lights, flash on candy canes, twinkle in holiday scenes and even outline a ferris wheel. And these lights are synchronized to music, creating a drive-through experience in surround sound.
"We have different areas that will flash to the music, others stay on constantly. We have a 30-foot arch of lights and tunnel that people will drive through. Right now I have 106,000 lights up and we aren't finished yet," says Lorrie Horton, a board member of the Rhea County Fair.
"We have Candy Land with a little playhouse and candy canes. The lights all flash there. A fair board member built the ferris wheel with lights on it. We have a whole wall of light nets, a military tribute and several Nativity scenes," she describes.
This light show is a gift to their community by volunteers who want to raise funds to improve the Rhea County fairgrounds. The light show made its debut last Christmas. Horton says 1,288 paying cars came through, and that doesn't count nursing homes and assisted-living facilities' vehicles, which are not charged.
The 2017 Drive-Through Light Show opens Friday, Dec. 1, and will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. each Friday and Saturday through Dec. 23.
Horton says this year's committee learned from some novice mistakes last year and have changed procedures accordingly. For example, when visitors arrive at the main gate, they may either continue on to the drive-through show or park and exit their cars to visit the walk-through scenes before returning to their cars and being directed back into the flow of traffic. This will prevent a log jam of walkers and drivers at the entrance.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in their workshop on Saturday nights from 6 to 9 o'clock to greet visitors and make photos (bring your own camera.) Horton says horse-drawn wagon rides will also be available those nights, weather permitting, for $1.
Youth from Spring City United Methodist Church will present walk-through Nativity scenes on Saturday nights.
"We are trying to keep this priced so anybody can afford to come," says Horton of the admission fee of $5 per car. "We hope it will start some family traditions."