Published: November 14, 2009 10:52 pm      

Winter Wonderland of Lights kicks off Monday

Santa, music will kick off festival

ASHLAND — Newly crowned Winter Wonderland of Lights Queen Whitley Bays will flip the switch Monday illuminating the more than 800,000 individual bulbs on light displays in Central Park.

The annual Winter Wonderland of Lights Festival, organized by the Ashland Alliance Chamber of Commerce, has been named one of Kentucky Tourism Council’s Top 10 2009 Winter festivals.

Monday’s lighting ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. at the Bandstand in Central Park and will include holiday music and a visit from Santa Claus.

It marks the beginning of more than a month of family-friendly holiday events centered around the light displays in Central Park.

WSAZ’s Rob Johnson will serve as the master of ceremonies Monday and a host of local music acts will perform including Michael Reeves who will perform the national anthem; The Kings Way Church Choir directed by Martin Revely; and the sixth-grade singers from Poage and Charles Russell elementary schools directed by Cindy Jackson.

Ashland Alliance President Jim Purgerson is also scheduled to speak at the ceremony where the winners of the Winter Wonderland of Lights Pageant will be honored as well.

Members of the Army National Guard’s 201st Engineer Battalion will be introduced as the grand marshals of this year’s Christmas Parade. The theme of the parade and entire celebration, “I’ll be Home for Christmas” and was chosen to honor the 201st, which was deployed during last year’s holiday season. The Christmas Parade is scheduled for Nov. 24 and will begin at 7 p.m. in downtown Ashland.

Paula Mayo, longtime member of the festival organizing committee, said there is still time for groups and organizations to join the parade. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday and are available online at www.winterwonderlandoflights.com.

Mayo said the festival is also in need of additional volunteers to help with the parade, work the Santa House in Central Park and to assist with the Winter Wonderland Express Trains.

“It just takes a lot, a lot of volunteers to do this and we can always use some more,” she said. “It’s a good opportunity for civic groups or church youth organizations.”

Music groups and choirs are also invited to perform holiday music during the weekends at the festival, according to Mayo.