Record-breaking crowds visit lights

Garvan Woodland Gardens has seen record-breaking attendance numbers for its annual Holiday Lights display this year, hosting 5,134 guests from opening night on Nov. 19 through Wednesday, compared with last year's record of almost 3,500 guests in the first five days.

A near-record number of 1,608 guests was recorded on opening night alone, said Susan Harper, director of visitor services for the gardens.

"We had two record nights -- a near-record on the opening night and two record nights on Sunday and Monday," Harper noted. "It rained on Tuesday, and we were close again to a record Wednesday night; we were a hundred off. The rainy night, that was no good. On Tuesday we only had 108 people here, but we are exceeding last year's attendance at this point. I'd say we're at record and near-record pace, so we're doing great."

Visitors from across Arkansas and surrounding states make their way to Hot Springs each year to see the display, which spans approximately 17 acres and holds 4.5 million Christmas lights.

With the exception of Christmas day, Holiday Lights will be open nightly from 5-9 p.m. through Dec. 31.

Harper said this year's biggest addition to the display is the frog, whose tongue reaches out to catch a fly, and lily pad, which can be found in the garden gallery portion of the gardens.

"We have some other smaller new things, but that's the biggest new thing. We've rearranged a lot of our things into galleries. The garden gallery has all of the butterflies and frog and flowers and everything in that one, and the winter gallery has the snowmen and the ice palace and the snowflakes, so it's really cool," she added. "There's nine specific and different areas to go through and some transition in between them, so it's not just bright, blank, bright, blank -- it flows."

Upcoming events at the gardens include the Jingle Dogs Pup Parade, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Dec. 5 on the Great Lawn.

For one night only, dogs will be allowed admission into Holiday Lights. A parade around the Great Lawn will be followed by photographs with Santa from 6-8 p.m. Each Jingle Dog will receive a sweet treat from Santa himself.

The event is free to members and their dogs and $5 for nonmember dogs.

Another holiday favorite is The Muses' 11th annual "Voices of Angels" concert, set for 3 p.m. Dec. 18 in Anthony Chapel.

The event features the female voices of Muses' professional performers Deleen Davidson, Ruth'e Korelitz, Katie Bieber and Katy Brockington, joined by lyric tenor Cody Laun, pianist Kristen LaMadrid and instrumentalists Shelley Martin, on flute, and Steve Suter, on trombone.

Young vocalists from Henderson State University and area high schools will also perform, including students from the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts choir, in conjunction with the Muses Vocal Apprentice Program. The concert will also feature a dance element provided by Muses' choreographer and principal dancer Amy Bramlett.

Tickets are $30 each.

Admission into the gardens, including the Holiday Lights display, is $15 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12 and children 5 years old and younger are admitted for free.

Local on 11/27/2016

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