Phipps Conservatory has a new theme for their Flower Show and Light Display event called Winter Wonderland.
Kennywood’s Holiday Lights event has an expanded Dinner with Santa program this year.
These are one of the many highlights for this year’s biggest Holiday Light shows in the region.
People can drive to other events in the region like the new train displays at the Carnegie Science Center, the PPG Winter Garden and the Oglebay Festival of Lights to name a few.
“This is a really special time of the year,” said Jordyn Melino the exhibit coordinator at Phipps Conservatory.
The conservatory has had winter flower shows for 100 years, based their Winter Light Garden off the classic carol bearing the same name, and they have doubled their light Garden, in its third year by creating a new outdoor exhibit.
Winter Flower Show, is designed by Terra Design Studios, LLC, and the Winter Light Garden is designed by Melino.
The event at Phipps Conservatory began last Friday and will run until January 11th.
Every evening the conservatory will hold a ceremony where they will light over 150 candles every evening at 5 pm.
“They are located throughout the conservatory, it gives a little bit of shine and sparkle to the conservatory at night,” said Melino in a phone interview.
Kennywood’s Dinner with Santa event is being held on four days instead of one. The dinners are held December 6, 13, 14 and 20 the dinners begin on 3:30 and last until 4:30.
It costs $26.99 for adults, $23.99 for ages 3 through 12, and free for children 2 years and under.
Holiday Lights also begun last Friday and will run until December 21st
The fourth annual Holiday Lights will also have three to four choir groups performing every night and celebrity guest readers performing Twas the Night before Christmas.
“They are [the guest readers] mostly KDKA personalities with a few others mixed in, like Steven Cropper of WPXI and film director Rick Sebak,” said Jeff Filicko the Public Relations manager at Kennywood Park.
Phipps Conservatory is partnering with Toys for Tots and encourages to donate new, unwrapped toys until December 15th.
The conservatory will also have an early New Year’s Eve Celebration and all activities are free with admission to Phipps.
“It’s a magical time because we go above and beyond, the typical flower shows during the year we do,” said Melino.
The conservatory holds a 30 minute creative dance class and story time session in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Kennywood has many rides available during Holiday Lights, the most notable is the Gingerbread Express, a Christmas themed version of the “Olde Kennywood Railroad”
“I’ve worked here the last three years during Holiday Lights, almost exclusively on the railroad and it’s a fun to see how people get in to the festive spirit of the year,” said Edward Walker a ride operator at Kennywood.
Admission to Kennywood are $16.99 at the gate, and free for children 2 years old and younger. You can get unlimited visits to Holiday Lights for $24.99
Admission for Phipps Conservatoy are $15 dollars for adults, $14 dollars for seniors and students, and $11 dollars for children ages 2 – 18. Members and kids under 2 enter free.
For more information on events, times of openings and more log onto phipps.conservatory.org/exhibits-and-events and http://www.kennywood.com/holidaylights.
This story was published in Point Park University’s The Globe.