ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Illuminights is returning to Explore Park for its second season and WSLS 10 is once again a proud sponsor of the Winter Walk of Lights.
Crews are hard at work setting up holiday light displays that are sure to dazzle once again this year. More than 500,000 lights will be shining bright with some of last year’s favorites and some new sparklers too.
“We have new themes. We have over the river. We have through the woods. We have our fantasy area with some cool interactive displays. We also have our Christmas traditions area. We will have a lot of the things that we had last year, but we do have some new displays of lights and it’s going to be great this year,” said Alex North, marketing assistant for Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
The Winter Walk of Lights will also look much different because of the coronavirus pandemic. There will be social distancing guidelines in place. You must purchase tickets in advance, arrive during your assigned 30-minute time slot and wear a face mask.
Illuminights will also be 15 days longer this year for a 41-night event from Nov. 20 through Jan. 2.
“We’re expanding the nights not only for the safety of everyone but also to give people more of an opportunity to come out and see the light show,” North said.
To follow COVID-19 guidelines, some of last year’s activities won’t be back, but you can still expect things like marshmallow roasting and the artisan market which features 50 local vendors.
“Last year was amazing. We had so many people come out and enjoy the event and we just hope this is a tradition that people can keep on for years to come,” North said.
Illuminights is also in need of volunteers to cover more than 700 shifts. You can sign up now to help with everything from guest services to marshmallow roasting.
Tickets for the event go on sale Monday. Click here to learn more.