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Lights of the Delta includes new display this year
Monday was opening night at Lights of the Delta in Blytheville. The cost of admission was a donation of nonperishable food items, new unwrapped toys, or monetary donations. The night featured Grilling with Santa, with free hotdogs and hamburgers available for participants. Carolers were on hand to provide entertainment.
All donations and proceeds from opening night were donated to a local nonprofit organization called Ignite that makes Boxes of Love for needy families in the Blytheville area and the Blytheville/Gosnell Food pantry. "This group buys food by the truckload and has it shipped into the Blytheville area by the truckload. They serve about 1,500 people," said George Hubbard, the executive director of Lights of the Delta. "The organization is always needing donations because the boxes includes not only food and toys for the children but also personal items like shampoo, conditioner, and toothbrushes."
Now in its 14th year, Lights of the Delta has been marked on many tourism sites as a must see attraction, featuring one of the biggest light displays in the region. Located at the old Eaker Air Force Base, the holiday light display is located on 40 acres and consists of 48 different displays and about six million lights.
"We first opened in 2001 with just 14 displays that were donated by Bo Adams of Leachville,"he said. "He used to put those displays up on his estate. He donated those 14 displays that first year, and we built one to make it 15." By the third year Lights of the Delta had 22 displays. Hubbard said, "We have pretty much peaked at 48 displays."
Due to lack of space, they have not added any more than 48 displays. "We would have to open up a whole new road," he said. "Now, when we get a new display, we retire one and furbish it, then bring it back in a few years."
This year they have a brand new display commissioned in March by N.J. Correnti, owner of Nicolas Air, an airplane charter company out of Columbus, Miss. Correnti's father is the founder of Great River Steel and has a family home in Blytheville. Correnti grew up in the area and, according to Hubbard, he came through Lights of the Delta last year and decided that he wanted to be a part of it. The display is called "Christmas is in the Air" and is 165 feet long and 45 feet tall at its tallest point. It features Santa's waving as an airplane flies over an airport with the words Nicholas Air written out in blue lights. John 3:16 is displayed on one of the signs. "That was a special request,"said Hubbard.
Midway through the display there is a stopping point for visitors to pull in and take a rest. The area is called Jingle Bell Park, and it is a place where tourists can make a visit to The Souvenir Shop where they sell cappuccino, hot chocolate and the latest edition of the Lights of the Delta Christmas ornament. "This year's ornament is of the Poinsettia Archway. It was missing last year because it fell do to strong winds so we refurbished it and brought it back this year," he said. "We had the frame rebuilt, redid it with all new LED lights." They also sell popcorn from Fancy Farms which is located just outside of Bernie, candy, and 3D glasses.
"When we first opened the attraction, we had no running water. We would have to buy gallons of water and when we ran out, we had to go buy more. We used coffee pots to serve refreshments," he said. They finally added the Souvenir Shop and also Santa's Workshop. Hubbard says that in the beginning there were about 15,000 to 20,000 people that would drive through. "Now we have any where between 30,000 to 40,000, in a matter of 39 days."
For those wondering how such a large display can be managed, Hubbard offered up a pretty simple explanation. "Every display is hooked up to a separate meter, which means we get 48 different electric bills. We pay about $5,000 for a 39 day event."
Lights of the Delta will be open from now until December 27. They are open Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 until 9:00 p.m and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 until 10:00 p.m. Cars and trucks holding 12 passengers or less are $10 per vehicle, small buses are $25, and full buses are $50.
There are also hayrides available for groups. "You have to have a reservation for the hayride and that can be done on the Lights if the Delta website," he said. Baker Implement donates the use of two tractors every year so that Lights of the Delta can offer hayrides to the public. "When we first began we would just offer everyone a hayride if they wanted. We became so busy that we had to begin using the reservation system," he added. The cost is $30 Sunday through Thursday and $40 Friday and Saturday.
Every Tuesday is half price night where cost of entry is just $5. If you live in the area and have yet to see the display, it is a family friendly event that should not be missed. For more information check out their website at www.lightsofthedelta.com or contact George Hubbard, executive director of the event, at 870-762-9788.