Pine Bluff Christmas lights close Thursday

PINE BLUFF — The Christmas lights at Regional Park have entertained people from near and far this year, and while the display of seasonal celebration is coming to a close, it is leaving behind smiles on thousands of youngsters’ faces.

The Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends, with its 260 lighting displays, will be closed after Thursday night, not to reappear until next holiday season.

Kerry Battles, director of the Pine Bluff Festival Association, which oversees the lights, said that based on estimates, some 10,000 visitors made their way through the 1-mile-plus drive-through.

“We had people from Oklahoma, Idaho and Colorado — from all over,” Battle said. “We are elated. We had a good season.”

The season started off “iffy,” Battle said, referring to the electrical problems that were discovered on opening night back around Thanksgiving. But those problems were quickly taken care of, he said, and the display was up and running as it has been every year since 1997.

The difference this year has been the toys. Lots of toys — an estimated $60,000 worth of toys.

Battle said Clarence Davis, a senior pastor at Share a Prayer and Word Church in Pine Bluff, approached him about giving away toys to the children who were riding in the cars that came through the light display.

Battle said Davis brought him enough toys to “fill my storage building twice to the brim.” Staffers then handed them out.

Davis said he had been approached by an agency that wanted to provide toys to children. The agency, Davis said, also wanted to remain anonymous and wanted the church to be in charge of the giveaway.

“There are families where parents have been laid off and are struggling to pay bills,” Davis said. “And they have kids and just wanted to buy their children some Christmas presents. Handing them these presents made them smile and made us smile.”

Davis said he chose the Christmas light drive-thru as a giveaway site because he knew there would be plenty of youngsters. But the church also handed out presents at other locations in Pine Bluff.

This was the first year for the toy giveaway, and both Battle and Davis said they were eager for it to be continued next year.

Asked about the $60,000 estimate, Davis said the number sounded about right.

“I’m sure it was at least that much,” he said, “but who’s counting? We probably gave away two times that amount throughout the city.”