| The holiday season will officially arrive this week as Oglebay representatives and guests gather on Thurs., Nov. 4, 2021 for the kick-off to the annual Festival of Lights presented by WesBanco. Santa Claus will be on hand to assist in flipping the switch on the 36th annual Festival of Lights along with Christopher Criss, Chairman of the Board of Directors of WesBanco. The lights are set to turn on at 6:15 p.m. The nationally-recognized light display has grown into one of the nation’s largest holiday light shows, attracting more than one million visitors each year and covering more than 300 acres over a six-mile drive through Oglebay. “WesBanco is proud to once again be a key supporter of Oglebay’s Festival of Lights,” said Todd F. Clossin, President and CEO of WesBanco. “For 36 years, this has been a great event and wonderful tradition for our local communities, and WesBanco is honored to be a long-time partner in its success. The Festival of Lights is truly one of the premier holiday festivals nationwide that brings joy to countless visitors, and we invite everyone to experience it.” Back by popular demand, the show will once again focus on the “Sounds of the Season,” with 14 new, immersive audio experiences to discover. “Since 1985, Oglebay’s Festival of Lights has been delighting guests of all ages,” said Bob Peckenpaugh, Wheeling Park Commission President & CEO. “You will not want to miss our new 70-foot tall Welcome Tree at The Hilltop featuring thousands of dancing lights with the infinite ability to combine color, music, light, and animated imagery all while soaring seven stories into the night sky.” Additionally, the ever-popular, life-sized Nativity display featuring elaborate figurines dressed in lavish fabrics imported from Israel has been relocated inside the recently renovated Carriage House gift shop at The Hilltop. Once again, Oglebay’s iconic Mansion Museum presented by Oglebay Institute will serve as a popular destination during the 2021 holiday season. Guests can tour the historic museum and its 13 lavishly decorated, historic rooms by day and at night, the famous landmark will come alive with a stunning, animated light show choreographed to holiday hits. For kids, and kids at heart, the Winter Carnival at Levenson Shelter will feature family-friendly activities like the Snowflake Express Train, food trucks, s’mores and hot chocolate. And every night, the Oglebay Good Zoo invites guests to snap a photo with Santa and take in 40,000 LED lights choreographed to the music of legends like Led Zeppelin, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and more during its Rockin’ Holiday Light Show on the zoo’s outdoor patio. Guests can also dash through a lane of colorful, lighted candy cane trees as they travel down Lodge Drive toward Wilson Lodge for hot chocolate, live music, storytime with Mrs. Claus, an elf digital scavenger hunt, and more. The Festival of Lights, which features more than 90 larger-than-life displays, will be illuminated each night from dusk until midnight through Jan. 9, 2022. For more information about the 36th annual Festival of Lights, visit www.oglebay.com/lights. |
