Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Santa is coming to Bolado Park, along with caroling flash mobs, dance performances, giant gingerbread houses, marshmallow snowmen and a million or two sparkling lights. It is part of “The Adventure to the North Pole,” a month-long festivity opening on Nov. 24 and running through Dec. 22.
The evening celebration, billed as a “Family Christmas Light Festival,” will offer visitors an illuminated pathway through the park, punctuated by activities, performances, and themed vignettes leading up to Santa’s home—all intended to bring the Christmas spirit alive in the hearts of young and old.
“We came up with the idea of doing a holiday event,” said Tarshela Haggard of Hollister’s APEX Specialty Planning Group. “We spoke to Dara Tobias here at Bolado, and she said, “I think it would be fantastic. We need something like that to put this little park back on the map.”
The adventure’s layout takes up most of the park’s back area, incorporating the stables and permanent buildings. The entrance is through Candy Cane Lane’s tunnel of lights, which leads to sets with illuminated Christmas-themed characters and props accented by machines producing fog and snow. Multiple mirrors in some areas reflect the lights, giving the pathways extra depth.
“It’s what they use in mazes,” Haggard said. “I thought, ‘Nobody uses anything like that for a holiday event.’ It is magical, and the reflections make the lights look like they go on forever.”
Along the way, certain scenes will be enhanced with piped-in aromas. Candy Cane Lane smells like peppermint. The gingerbread houses smell like gingerbread. The mirrored and lit trees smell like pine. And the snozzberries, if you can find them, no doubt smell like snozzberries.
“I want our visitors to experience more than just lights,” said Haggard. “I would love them to take in the true feeling and sensation of everything.”
On scheduled evenings to be announced, the San Benito Stage Company will perform as dancing elves, and the San Benito Dance Academy will offer excerpts from their upcoming production of the Nutcracker Suite. Gavilan College students will read “The Night Before Christmas” once an hour.
The main section of the adventure takes place in the buildings usually used for exhibitions during the county fair. One building will be filled with vendors, including Hill’s Bookstore. Another will house the Elves’ Workshop, where children can engage in various activities for an additional fee. Christmas movies will be shown continuously in another. There are also outdoor activities planned, such as a petting zoo and a skating rink for those who bring skates.
The final stop on the adventure is a visit to Santa’s home, where Alan Young, a former Hollister resident and veteran performer of the role, will greet his visitors.
“He’s just amazing,” said Haggard. “Just so cute, with a real beard and everything, and his wife is adorable. They’ll be doing some readings that will be a big hit for the kids.”
The adventure will also feature live music, a DJ every Friday, food trucks and themed evenings, like Ugly Sweater Night on Wednesdays and Matching Pajama Night on Sundays.
“We are hoping people come several different times,” Haggard said. “Every time, it will be a new experience with different vendors, themes and activities. And we are hoping to build on the event, to make it even bigger and better next year.”
Tickets for “The Adventure to the North Pole” are available through Eventbrite. General Admission for ages four and up is $25, and tickets purchased at the gate are $27. There is a $5 discount for military and senior citizens who purchase at the gate. (ID required for discount.)
Note: Adventure to the North Pole will open on Nov. 24 and then close through Thanksgiving. Due to storm predictions, it will reopen on Nov. 29. Check Facebook for further changes in schedule due to weather. Bolado Park is located at 9000 Airline Hwy, in Tres Pinos, south of Hollister.
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.
You must be logged in to post a comment.