Christmas In July: Opryland's Holiday Lights
Whew, it sure is hot outside! But, SOME are preparing for Christmas already!
No, not us... (See why here and here.)
Believe it or not, they're already gearing up for Christmas at the Opryland Hotel.
That's right, they've started stringing the 2 million lights that decorate the Opryland Hotel and its property.
Who knew that it took 4 months to hang all those lights? (...Lights that bring tourists from millions of miles away to Music City USA just to view them.)
So, enjoy your summer, folks. But just remember, Christmas is right around the corner!
For the record, the Opryland Holiday Lights aren't officially turned "on" for the public until November 1st.
Video: Inside The Opryland Hotel
Opryland's "A Country Christmas" Ice Sculptures
For one of the coolest displays of ice sculptures around, don't miss the Opryland's A Country Christmas festivities (Nov. 17 - Jan. 8). I've never been, but I've seen & read about it on the news, and some friends of ours went last year and had a glowing review!I've seen an ice sculpture or two in my time, but we're not talking those fancy table-top displays like you see at the Midnight Buffet on cruise ships. And Opryland's might even better than the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival ice sculptures!
Opryland's features a frozen world of larger-than-life ice sculptures all carved from 1.5 million pounds of ice, musical events, and more.
---> Here are some great photos of the ice sculptures at Opryland!
Saranac Lake's Winter Carnival
I used to live in Saranac Lake (near Lake Placid, New York) when I worked as Director of Alumni Relations at Paul Smith's College.
One of the most fun things to do there each year was to attend Winter Carnival festivities downtown Saranac Lake.
Here are pictures of the ice sculptures and more from the 2005 Winter Carnival events in Saranac Lake, New York.
This is NOT the Opryland Lights of the past. We were very dissapointed. One section of outside lights, $12.00, yes $12.00 to park!! Just to have to walk forever to get inside. Sad in comparison to the lights of the past. We'll be telling all our friends not to waste the gas, just drive the nieghborhoods around town.