Tanglewood Festival of Lights

Tanglewood Festival of Lights

by Liv | Published on December 2nd, 2009, 10:03 pm | Greensboro

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So last night we went to the Tanglewood Festival of Lights. It's an annual pilgrimage for me dating back to the mid-90s. It was always a blast to roll out there in the convertibles with the top down, the heat blowing. It's a 3 mile long light display you actually drive-thru and always impresses. Even better yet, we swung by TJ's for a #60 sicilian on the way. While my older more responsible self no longer enjoys the smoke-tacular aspect of Tanglewood's festival of lights, it was truly a joy to watch my 5 year old scream out in excitement when she saw the extravagant light display.

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The best part of the Festival of Lights is the 3/4 point stop at the fire pit. They ask for $4.00 for a Smore kit, and put a sign up, guilting you not to bring your own due to the cost of operating the lights. (What's their power-bill?) It was to late for Shan who had meticulously planned out her clothing attire to hold a bag of marshmallows, a block of graham crackers, several Hershey's bars and several coat hangers. Luckily no one commented, and we quickly constructed smores for our family, while remembering back in years past. Like the one when we brought Smiler who just recently arrived from the U.K. and was introduced to a American Smore for the first time around that very fire ring at the Festival of Lights.

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Truthfully it never gets old. Still my favorite is the golfer, a football field long light display that interactively moves the ball from the swinging golfer across the green.

Last January, my wife and I went to Gatlinburg and found that they do a similar festival of lights pretty much all through the winter months. While no one is there by Christian groups and skiers. There, the light displays are scattered all along the main roads, up into the craftsman area, and on into Pigeon Forge. There's no fee to see these decorations. I never found out if they're placed and maintained by the chamber of commerce, the county or city government or some local volunteer group.

But they are really cool to see.

I just think Tanglewood Festival of Lights is one of the few treasures we have here locally and at only $10.00 a car it's really a small price to pay. My only caveat is that it's not closer to Greensboro. I know we have our own festival by the same name, but Greensboro could so easily do something like thing in Battleground Park.

I must admit I'd find it slightly humorous and if they'd slip a lone festivus pole in a long the route.

Smoke-tacular! You gave me a reason to go!

Kenetoken wrote:Smoke-tacular! You gave me a reason to go!

Yes we went several times a year back in High School... it's perfect, no cops, trippy lights, and munchies at the 3/4 mark...