The Chamber Minute
A community tradition was born in 1987 when the Friends of Shore Acres decided to “string a few lights” to help celebrate the holidays. That first season, 6,000 miniature lights, one large Christmas tree, and the decorated Garden House drew 9,000 visitors.
Now in its 36th year of bringing magic to the Coast, Holiday Lights with 325,000 LED lights – many decorated Christmas trees, lighted sculptures, entertainment in the pavilion, and a beautifully decorated Garden House draws 40,000 to 50,000 visitors each season. Inside the Garden House, scrolls of names are a tribute to business supporters and the more than 1,500 volunteers who make it happen.
So beginning Thanksgiving day through the entire month of December, plan to make the trip to Shore Acres for Holiday Lights. Make sure you visit the Friends of Shore Acres website and sign up for the timed entry reservation information. These will cut down those long traffic lines to get into the lights each. Also, don’t forget to sign the registry in the Garden House and enjoy the free hot spiced cider and cookies.
But why bring that up now? Well Saturday October 14th the light stringing at Shore Acres starts and lasts for up to 6 weekends. Anyone is welcome to come on out and participate. However, if it is your first time “stringing lights” please give the Friends a call at 541-756-5401 to coordinate your experience. For all else, show up at 10 am on either a Saturday or a Sunday, and they will give you a job.
Holiday Lights is the premiere annual project of the Friends of Shore Acres. All of the Friends’ activities are done in cooperation with Shore Acres State Park and the Sunset Bay Management Unit. The outstanding cooperation of everyone involved sets an excellent example for other similar groups to follow. So, come join the fun.
The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, remember Our Business is Helping Your Business. And like us on Facebook.
