The holidays are all about tradition, and one of our family’s annual ones is to visit grandma in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. And what do we do the day after Thanksgiving? No, we don’t go shopping. Instead, I take our daughters to Kennywood Holiday Lights, the amusement park I grew up visiting as a boy. At first it was a way to show my kids a place that holds so many good memories of my youth, and now my girls excitedly ask to attend Kennywood Holiday Lights after Thanksgiving. Currently in its fifth year, our family has gone the opening Friday each and every year; click here for photos of 2014’s display. Continue reading for what’s new at Kennywood in 2015 as well as our Kennywood Holiday Lights giveaway where you can win a family four pack of tickets.
[Prizing courtesy Kennywood Park, approximate prize value $75, open to US mailing addresses only, must be 18 years of age or older to participate.]
In 2015, Kennywood Holiday Lights gets a new centerpiece by the lagoon, a 90-foot tall Christmas tree (tallest on record in Pennsylvania) filled with lights and ornaments. Don’t be late as gates open each evening at 5:00pm, and a ceremonial lighting of the tree takes place at 5:30pm followed by the first Kennywood Holiday Lights Show of the night (performed every 30 minutes thereafter).
Also making its debut is a 15 minute version of The Polar Express: A 4-D Experience, playing in Kennywood’s newly opened 4-D theater with rumbling seats, interactive smells, falling snow, 3D visuals and more. The film is included with Holiday Lights admission.
Over one million lights are on display at Kennywood Holiday Lights, connected and powered by more than twelve miles of extension cords—enough cords to connect Kennywood to Heinz Field on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. Hey, that’s where Grandma lives, so maybe we can just follow the cords back home. You’ll also find more than 50 live pine trees decorating the park, holiday songs, performances, and readings by local groups and choirs.
Kennywood Holiday Lights is full of local favorites and traditions including a collection of historic attractions, visits & photos with Santa, classic Kennywood characters (Kenny Kangaroo and Parker the Arrow),
food (hot chocolate and Potato Patch fries are our family’s favorites),
model train display (a Pittsburgh holiday tradition if there ever was one),
and each evening ends with a fireworks spectacular at 9:00 pm.
Kennywood Holiday Lights runs from 5-9pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through December 27, 2015 (except Christmas Day). Admission costs $17.99 for ages 3 and older (plus $1 amusement tax). You can save $3 by purchasing tickets in advance online. On December 5, 12, 19 and 20 there is also an all-you-can-eat dinner option with a visit from Santa. While our family hasn’t experienced Dinner with Santa, it sounds like a GREAT deal at $27.99 for adults and $23.99 for kids ages 3 to 12. That price not only includes dinner (and an audience with Santa), but also your admission to Holiday Lights.
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My mom and I used to drive through the neighborhood to look at lights. Haven’t done that though with her since I left for college.
We take our kids every Christmas Eva in jammies , listening to Christmas music, and drive all around the town and surrounding town before bed!
We always decorate the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Everyone helps and put their touch on it. Even the littlest ones.