*The tunnel that was added this year is comprised of 38,900 lights.*

*Eli and Abby wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.*

*Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet visitors on Friday and Saturday nights in the Entertainment Center.*

During this wondrous holiday season, expand (or add to) your holiday traditions by grabbing the family, loading up the car, and heading out to Season of Lights, a drive-thru Christmas light park, located at I-30 and Exit 198 just west of Texarkana. The kids can visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus while the adults enjoy a cup of hot chocolate (that some boast to be the best around), all while making unforgettable memories during this most wonderful time of the year.

After years of dragging their two children out of town to enjoy holiday lights, waiting in line for 2-3 hours, and everyone being exhausted before they even saw the first display, Kim and Randall Baggett would joke that Texarkana needed its own drive-thru light park. However, they would forget about having that conversation until the next year when the same scenario would play out. Fast forward a few years, when Randall located some property on I-30 that he loved where he would have room to spread out and enjoy his hobby of restoring and selling Toyota Land Cruisers. Once Kim looked at the property, she actually envisioned it being the perfect locale for a drive-thru Christmas light park, and the rest is history!

The Baggetts closed on their new property in July 2018 with plans to open the light park that November. “We did not have a clue what we were doing!” Kim jokes. “We have been saved many, many times by Randall’s ability to problem solve and fix just about anything.” Although they were met with the rainiest fall ever that first season, the Baggetts were greatly overwhelmed by the community support for their project. “It is still not what I originally envisioned, but year by year, we are getting there. This is way out of the comfort zones of our full-time careers but, most days, we truly love this business and the Christmas season.”

In September each year, the Baggetts begin working on the park daily to get ready for the season. By October, they are calling in reinforcements (family members) to help. “It is a huge sacrifice for our kids, as our holidays look much different from everyone else’s,” Kim says. “We just hope that it doesn’t make everyone in the family hate Christmas. But, we know that every year, there will be less and less to do, and at some point, we will just be able to keep the park maintained. By the time we open each season, we are relieved that we can cut back to 75-hour work weeks for one month. We cannot say enough good things about our staff. They have been a huge part of our ability to push through the 35+ days we stay open. They often sacrifice their holiday as well and come to work for us in the evenings!” Randall and Kim are fortunate to have a fantastic staff that returns annually to help, but since it is their business, they feel it is their responsibility to be there every night, too. Oftentimes, they can be found prying cameras and/or phones from their visitors’ hands to snap photos for them and their families.

Giving back to the community they love is very important to Kim and Randall. Every year, they collect donations for some of their favorite local charities. This year, they will match donations up to $500 with proceeds benefitting CASA and the ArkLaTex 100 Club.

Located on 25 acres with only a portion of it currently used for the light park and entertainment center, the Baggetts’ future plans are to add other attractions to their park, and they may even add scenes representing other holidays, like Halloween and Easter. Right now, about halfway through the mile-long trail, is an Entertainment Center where Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet visitors on Friday and Saturday nights, families can snap photos on a new backdrop (or have photos taken by the staff photographer), and buy a gift for that special someone in the Stocking Stuffer Gift Shop area. Refreshments, like hot cocoa and Fat Bottom Farms Kettle Corn, will also be served. Special events include a kid’s activity area where mini Christmas trees can be decorated by children, and games can be played by families. One of the most popular activities is for families to purchase a s’mores kit at the concession stand, and then make them by the firepit.

New displays this year are creatively laid out, including a brand new tunnel along with a real Cessna on a Santa display. One tunnel is a magnificent sight, comprised of 38,900 lights. A Light-O-Rama show will include new Christmas music this year while visitors have their radios tuned to a specific radio station (signs will be posted advising guests where to tune in), and certain areas will have displays that flash to the music. Other fun displays include a transportation area, western scene, sports zone, deer crossing section, and military and First Responder area. A Christmas Tree Maze with 129 lighted Christmas trees will be located in front of the Entertainment Center, sponsored by HealthCARE Express.

Season of Lights will be open every night through December 27 from 6-9 p.m. on weeknights and 6-10 p.m. on the weekends. Cost for the light park is $25 per vehicle for up to 8 people, and $40 for 8 or more. Monday and Tuesday nights, the cost for singles and couples is $10 per person with activities in the Entertainment Center included in the price. Some special events will include food trucks available on-site, character visits, live music, and Storytime with Santa. Be sure to watch the Season of Lights Facebook page and webpage as special events are added frequently.

Although 2020 has been a tough year for many, the Baggetts look forward to celebrating Christmas with their friends and family. “For those who may not quite be ready for inside events, we completely understand and hope they will still enjoy the lighted trail from the comfort of their vehicles,” Kim adds. “On weeknights, our staff will even deliver concession purchases to our visitors’ cars. If visitors are ready to enjoy the inside, they should come ready to be in photos and help live out the Season of Lights’ motto to ‘Make Memories and Create Family Traditions.’”

Feature Stories

Let There Be Lights!