Remember that dazzling 65,000-light entrance wreath from last year’s Garden of Lights?
It can’t hold a candle to this year’s wreath.
“I had a worker tell me the wreath has 350,000 lights,” Muskogee Parks Superintendent Rick Ewing said.
The wreath is just the beginning of a spectacular display that lights the entire Honor Heights Park. The 14th annual Garden of Lights runs tonight through Jan. 1.
This year, there are more ways than ever to enjoy the light show.
In addition to driving, walking or having a hayride, people can take a Trolley. One of Muskogee’s two trolley cars will depart from Wal-Mart at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Fridays and Sundays. The round-trip trolley rides last about 1 1/2 hours each.
Groups can get together for a Garden of Lights hayride, which begins and ends at the Honor Heights gift shop.
The rides are a great way to beat the traffic. Ewing said the Garden of Lights attracts about 250,000 people each year. He said traffic is heaviest on the weekends and closer to Christmas, so tonight and Friday would be ideal times to go.
Park worker Edie McJunkins said the driving route starts at the top of Agency Hill and goes down through the park.
“We added more swag lights to line the roads, make them safer,” she said. “It’s interesting to look down from the top of the hill and see how the park is laid out. You can see the lights lining the roads.”
Ewing couldn’t say exactly how many lights will line the roads or the bushes or the animated displays. He estimated at least 1.6 million tiny lights.
McJunkins said she and other park employees have worked since October putting the lights up.
“Some of us worked from sunup to sundown,” she said. “Some guys didn’t leave until 11 p.m.”
Ewing said to expect more animated displays this year.
But, no, he won’t say what they are.
“We don’t announce the additions, we just let people find them,” he said.
He did say the park added a big, floating fountain in the middle of the main duck pond.
“We expanded our gift shop,” he said. “We’ll have more decorations, hot and cold snacks,” he said.
Honor Heights Park will not be open during the day while the Garden of Lights is up, though people still can use the tennis courts, Ewing said. The park will reopen for day visitors in January.
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November 22, 2006







