Chickasaw lights up for the holiday season

CHESTER COUNTY, Tenn.–Hundreds of thousands of lights glow at one state park for the holiday season.

“We’re expecting a really good turnout this year because it’s as socially distanced as you can get. You stay in your car the whole time,”  said park manager for Chickasaw State Park, Ron Elder.

In just the first night of lighting at Chickasaw State Park, hundreds of cars made their way through the displays.

Lighting of the Park continues as a yearly tradition to help bring a little joy to the community during this rough year.

“We’ve been doing it since the early 90s, it’s kind of become quite a tradition for the Henderson/Chester County and surrounding area,” Elder said.

The major difference this year is that Santa won’t be making a stop at the park because of COVID-19.

Other than that, not much has changed, just stay in your car and follow the lights.

Around 2,000 luminaries will guide you in your journey throughout the park to see all of your favorite holiday set ups.

“The lighting consists of somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 to 45 different individual electric displays, as well as candle luminaries lining the entire roadway as you go through the park,” Elder said.

Christmas trees and many different designs decorated the sides of the road, and some even lit up the lake.

The event is free, but at the end of your journey through a wonderland of Christmas lights, you’re encouraged to make a donation to the Friends of Chickasaw.

“That donation will help keep the lights going, as well as to provide support to the park throughout the year,” Elder said.

If you missed the first night of lights, you still have some time.

They’ll be back on from 6 to 9 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday nights.

December 13 will be the final night to see them.