RAMPING UP THE HOLIDAY CHEER
Newport News plans new event for Southeast Community
Newport News’ annual holiday season celebration will include a new art- and technology-themed event at Brooks Crossing in the Southeast Community.
The long-running Celebration in Lights at Newport News Park will be offered for its 27th year, and the music and light shows that replaced the popular Hollydazzle fireworks last year will continue in City Center, with some adjustments.
The overall celebration is billed the NlightN (pronounced enlighten) Holiday Event Series and is sponsored by BayPort Credit Union. The city released the lineup for the annual celebration at the State of the City event Oct. 29.
The ARTech Lights holiday experience at Brooks Crossing will be held the parking lot of the shopping center that contains Piggly Wiggly, 3105 Jefferson Ave. The experience will feature a large art installation as a centerpiece that will be lit Dec. 13 and remain illuminated through the month.
The lighting Dec. 13 also will include hands-on technology-related activities, spinning off the new Brooks Crossing Innovation and Opportunity Center next door, along with food and drink vendors, a fire pit, performers, music and a silent disco.
There also will be a skating rink Dec. 13-15. Admission to the event is free.
The Celebration in Lights drive-through display at Newport News Park will come with some new lighting effects and features more than 1 million lights, the city said. The attraction will be open 5:30-10 p.m. Nov. 28 to Jan. 1 and admission is $15 per car and $75 per bus.
Lights at the Fountain will return to City Center, featuring a 10-minute light show that incorporates a 42-foot-tall color and pattern changing tree and lights around the fountain choreographed to holiday and Christmas music.
The shows begin 5 p.m. Dec. 7 and will run several times throughout each night until Dec. 31.
Dec. 7 and 14 will be Fountainside Festivals at City Center, offering holiday-themed entertainment, a food and vendor market, games, activities and opportunities to meet Santa Claus. Restaurants in City Center will also participate with various specials those evenings.
Memories of Christmastime at City Center over the past few years may evoke scenes of packed crowds and a lengthy fireworks show over the fountain. Last year, the city decided to end the popular Hollydazzle event, which drew more than 30,000 in 2017. The new light show spread across the month drew 25,000, according to the city.
City Manager Cindy Rohlf told the City Council last year that the city could “no longer safely host the event,” listing factors such as the crowd size, limited space, security and traffic issues. Police said the new event was far more manageable from a public safety perspective and required significantly less manpower.
The city spent $372,830 on the events at City Center last year, called the 25 Nights of Northern Lights, according to information following a Freedom of Information Act request. The last edition of Hollydazzle cost $208,815.
For more information on the NlightN series, visit www.nnva.gov/NlightN.