ALLENTOWN, Pa. — What happens when you make a call to the bullpen in July and Santa Claus answers?
Forty-four more nights of fun at the ballpark this year.
Coca-Cola Park will hold Illumination, a walk-through holiday lights experience beginning Nov. 15, Lehigh Valley IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes announced at a news conference Wednesday.
"Because of the success we've had with this incredible facility, we feel we have a responsibility to do more," Landes said.
"I think there’s an onus for the ballclub to try and make ourselves a year-round facility."
The 44-night event — running from 6 to 9 p.m. each night — will feature more than a million holiday lights and a synchronized music light show every 15 to 17 minutes.
The event will be an all-ages, family-friendly extravaganza featuring appearances by Santa and Elsa from Disney's "Frozen," nightly holiday-themed promotions and more, Landes said.
The event will run until Jan. 4, and also will feature:
- A grand tree
- Special holiday food creations, including s’mores
- Winter cocktails
- A station to write letters to Santa
- Holiday crafts in Santa’s workshop
- Rides on Santa’s Polar Express train
- A Christmas Vendor Village holiday shop and more
Coca-Cola Park also will have numerous spaces for rent for small family get-togethers or larger corporate events, including on-field heated Igloos, Nutcracker Suites in the dugout and more.
It’s the first time the ballpark has held a holiday lights event in its 16-year history, and will give families one more option when it comes to an immersive holiday experience in the Lehigh Valley.
"What's exciting about my job is we get to create memories in this ballpark all summer long. Now we get to extend that through the year," Landes said.
"I envision the ballpark becoming where Hallmark meets Instagram," he said.
"You'll feel like you walked on set for a holiday movie."
Giveaways, theme nights and more
Pre-purchased tickets for the event will be $11 in November, increasing to $13 in December and January, Landes said.
Tickets purchased during the same day for that night’s event are $13 for November and $15 for December and January.
Promotional giveaways will include things like beanie caps, cookie cutters, bobbleheads and more.
Themed nights will include ugly sweater nights and odes to favorite holiday films, including "A Christmas Story."
"Just like at the ballpark, every night will be something a little bit different," Landes said.
That includes Lights and Leashes, where people will be able to bring their dogs to enjoy the holiday season.
"From a regional standpoint, we are truly becoming a holiday destination," Discover Lehigh Valley President Alex Michaels said.
"When people think about the holidays, I want them to think about the Lehigh Valley."
Illumination will run nightly on the following dates:
November 15-17
November 22-24
November 27-December 24
December 26-January 4
Parking will be free, courtesy of Roto-Rooter.
A full event schedule and additional information will be posted to IlluminationLV.com
Holiday lights aglow around the area
The Winter Light Spectacular, another holiday tradition, will return to the Lehigh Valley Zoo for its 11th consecutive year after setting a new attendance record in 2023 of 59,750.
The schedule, including an opening date, should be finalized soon, Chief Operating Officer Matt Provence said Wednesday.
The event in Schnecksville typically contains more than 1.2 million twinkling lights and numerous holiday displays, along with fire pits, s’mores, musical princess performances and photos with Santa.
As a nonprofit, the Winter Light Spectacular also is the largest fundraising event for the zoo each year, Provence said.
Additionally, Lights in the Parkway, the long-running drive-thru holiday light display at Lehigh Parkway in Allentown, will return for its 28th year on Nov. 29.
The long-running event lets visitors travel more than a mile through the city’s Lehigh Parkway, where 175,000 to 200,000 string lights are wrapped along the tree lines, with more than 90,000 bulbs in the displays.
Lights in the Parkway also features a light-up Santa and favorite holiday scenes, with proceeds benefiting local Allentown-based nonprofit organizations.
