OSAGE BEACH, Mo. -- Thousands have taken a ride through the new holiday light park at Osage Beach City Park since it opened Thanksgiving weekend.
At the Osage Beach Board of Aldermen meeting Dec. 18, Osage Beach Parks & Recreation Manager Brian Willey reported about 1,000 cars had already come through the holiday light park constructed at the city's recreational area.
In 2013, the Osage Beach Board of Aldermen approved the purchase of these displays to provide a free, holiday light exhibit at Osage Beach City Park.
"We went out to bid this summer, taking bids from all over," said Osage Beach City Administrator Jeana Woods. "A bid for about $25,000 was accepted from Christmas Done Bright (from Illinois). We tried to get the most we could for our dollar and chose a winter theme."
The light displays exhibit a variety of twinkling Christmas and holiday-themed scenes and follow around its baseball fields and through to the back of the park by the soccer fields.
Woods said not only has the park staff put up the lights in the park; they also hung snowflakes along Osage Beach Parkway and at set up additional light displays at about 40 businesses.
"We also had about 40 light displays we could put up at businesses. The good news was we had many more businesses that requested to have light displays in front of their businesses. However we only had 40 displays available this season," she said, noting the city hopes to do more with displays at businesses next year.
Guests can view the Osage Beach Holiday Light Park from 5-9 p.m. tonight. It will then be open from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday through Jan. 3.
The park is free and open to the public. For more information, call Osage Beach City Hall at 573-302-2000.
Other Lake of the Ozarks area light parks open
The Enchanted Village of Lights at the Laurie Fairgrounds will be open through Jan. 1.
The fairground's 27 acres will be filled with displays, from small ones to towering displays more than 30 feet high. Six new displays were added this year and LED lights make them shine even brighter than ever.
The Enchanted Village of Lights is open each day at 5 p.m. The park will stay open until at least 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends. There is no charge to drive through the village, but any donations will be put to use in refurbishing and preserving the displays for the future. More information about the event, including exact hours of operation, can be found at www.CityofLaurie.com/EnchantedLights.
Also in Laurie, The Festival of Lights at the Shrine of St. Patrick on Missouri 5 is the oldest light park in the area.
Started in 1981, the festival has continued to grow each year, with thousands of lights decorating the buildings and grounds. The site is also the home of the National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church, so this display focuses on Jesus and His mother, Mary.
The St. Patrick Festival of Lights will be open daily from 6-10 p.m. through Jan. 1. There is no charge for the beautiful light display; it's simply a gift to the community. Learn more at www.ShrineOfStPatrick.org.
Lights shine brightly in the city of Versailles, as well, with the city park aglow for the Unity Circle of Lights. Continuing through Jan. 1, the holiday light park will feature approximately 40 glowing and animated holiday scenes.
The light park is named for the "Unity Circle," a monument at the park entrance that shows cooperation among community members. For more information, visit the website at www.CityOfVersailles.org.