FOLIOEvent: Festival of Lights
Date: December 5th-31st until 9pm each evening, excluding the 25th (closed)
Location: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White Springs (11016 Lillian Saunders Drive, White Springs, 32096)
Tickets: $3
Contact: 386-397-4331
Directions: Located on U.S. 41 in White Springs. From I-75 to S.R. 136 (Milepost Exit 439 – Old Exit 84), travel east on S.R. 136 for 3 miles. Turn left on U.S. 41. Park entrance is on the left. From I-10 to U.S. 41 North (Milepost Exit 301 – Old Exit 43), travel 9 miles to White Springs. Park entrance is on the left.
There’s nothing like bundling up the family for a moonlight Christmas sleigh ride, gazing at the canopy of stars through swirling gusts of fresh snow, right? Not in Florida! We tend to ditch the parkas for t-shirts and trade heavy snow boots for lightweight flip-flops. But if you want to experience a delightful holiday family outing, then head west to White Springs where the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park offers a relaxed, mega light display without the traffic jam hassles.
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park will host the 20th annual Festival of Lights, displaying more than five million lights throughout the park, December 5th-31st. The park will be open each evening until 9pm, except Christmas Night. On December 25th, the park will be closed. On Christmas Eve, December 24th, the park will be drive-through only. Named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, visitors can enjoy award-winning holiday sights and sounds throughout the park. Unique holiday light displays include majestic oak trees decorated with thousands of lights, an antebellum museum dressed in full holiday splendor, a gingerbread village, a candy cane forest, Santa’s runway, and much more. The park’s centerpiece is the 200-foot-tall Carillon Tower, which illuminates the night sky as holiday music rings from its bells.
Cousin Thelma Boltin’s Gift Shop will be open everyday from noon until 9pm. Complimentary hot cocoa and popcorn are served nightly as the Craft Square comes alive with craft demonstrations, a bonfire, marshmallow roasting, and holiday singing for everyone.
Visitors can experience a flurry of fun in our winter wonderland with Santa. Weather reports predict a chance of snow flurries every evening on the hour and giant snow families have been spotted in the area!
The entrance fee for this event is $3 per person. The Festival of Lights is sponsored by the Stephen Foster Citizens Support Organization and made possible by the generous support of numerous local individuals and businesses. For more information, call 386-397-4331.
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