Drive-through Displays Are in New Location for 2007

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2007 Branson Area Festival of Lights. Beginning on November 1 and all aglow through December 31, this year’s drive-through will be located at Shepherd of the Hills Expressway and Expressway Lane, close to the new Sight & Sound Theatre.

Experience the magic of an Ozark Mountain Christmas with the Branson Area Festival of Lights 2007 as all of Branson sparkles for the holidays. From fabulous Christmas shows and dazzling lights to spectacular shopping and breathtaking scenic beauty, Branson is a special gift for everyone in your family at this festive time of year.

The centerpiece, Branson Area Festival of Lights Drive-Through, will delight children of all ages. Your journey begins with a magical 1-mile drive along a path aglow with over 120 displays. Conveniently located off of Shepherd of the Hills Expressway at Expressway Lane, this one-of-a-kind family experience promises to be memorable.

Also in the Branson/Lakes Area you can enjoy extraordinary Christmas lighting displays at Silver Dollar City’s Old Time Christmas celebration, the Enchanted Forest on Indian Point Rd. and the Trail of Lights at Shepherd of the Hills.

Branson Area Festival of Lights Drive-Through is open daily November 1 through December 31, 2007 from 5:00 pm until 11:00 pm Sunday through Thursday and 5:00 pm through 12:00 am on Friday and Saturday.

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More than 5 million twinkling lights will illuminate the skies above the Tri-Lakes Area once again during the 2006 Branson Area Festival of Lights (BAFOL).

Through a partnership with the City of Branson, the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber and Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce that the drive-through will return to the Branson Hills Parkway area bigger and better than ever with a brand new Presenting Sponsor, Branson.Com.

After being on hiatus in 2005 due to construction in the Branson Hills Parkway area, the Branson Area Festival of Lights drive-through will begin November 1 and run nightly through December 31, 2006 from 5:00 pm until midnight. The public has been ecstatic about the return of the Festival of Lights to its original location.

In addition to the Parkway, guests visiting the area during Ozark Mountain Christmas can see more than 285 lighted stars lining the famous stretch of Mo. Hwy. 76 from downtown Branson to the western edge of town.

Admission is $8 per family vehicle and $50 for each commercial bus or motor coach. Unlimited admission passes are $15 per family vehicle and can be purchased at the Parkway or at the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Welcome Centers, which are located at the intersection of Hwy. 248 & Hwy. 65, and at the intersection of Hwy. 160 & Hwy. 65. BAFOL Passports are also available at Ozark Mountain Bank – Lobby locations.

In 2004, an estimated 41,000 family vehicles and 1,100 commercial vehicles toured the parkway generating approximately $250,000 in revenue. Income raised at the Parkway and contributions from area sponsors go to support the BAFOL displays, which take several months to set up and require ongoing maintenance. This year’s media sponsors include Hometown Radio and KHOZ.

“This community has put a lot of effort into enhancing the holiday experience for visitors. Branson offers spectacular Christmas shows, lodging, restaurants and countless shopping options, plus dozens of other ways to be entertained with friends and family,” said David Arney, president and CEO of Akers and Arney Insurance Associates and chairman of Branson Area Festival of Lights Committee.

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More than 5 million twinkling lights will illuminate the skies above the Tri-Lakes Area during the 2004 Branson Area Festival of Lights (BAFOL). A ceremonial ‘flipping of the switch’ will kick off the Ozark Mountain Christmas lighting spectacular at 5 p.m. Monday, November 1 at the Yakov Smirnoff Theater, located on Hwy. 248 near the intersection of Hwy. 65.

The public is invited to join city leaders at the free reception as they ‘flip’ a 10-foot light switch. Everyone that attends will receive a complimentary visit, provided by Ride The Ducks, to the Festival of Lights Parkway, the area’s centerpiece drive-through lighting display. The BAFOL Parkway extends for two miles along Branson Hills Parkway near Hwy. 65 and Bee Creek Rd. More than 500,000 lights adorn dozens of animated displays along the Parkway including the ever-popular “12 Days of Christmas,” Santa and his leaping reindeer, sailboat races, a nativity scene, a Victorian Christmas scene, and many others.

In addition to the Parkway, guests visiting the area during Ozark Mountain Christmas can see more than 280 lighted displays lining the famous stretch of Mo. Hwy. 76 from downtown Branson to the western edge of town.

The Branson Area Festival of Lights Parkway is open from 5 p.m. through midnight seven days a week November 1, 2004 – January 1, 2005. Admission is $7 per family vehicle and $50 for each commercial bus or motor coach. Unlimited admission passes are $15 per family vehicle and can be purchased at the Parkway or at the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Welcome Centers, which are located at the intersection of Hwy. 248 & Hwy. 65, and at the intersection of Hwy. 160 & Hwy. 65.

Last year, an estimated 30,000 family vehicles and 1,100 commercial vehicles toured the parkway generating approximately $250,000 in revenue. Income raised at the Parkway and contributions from area sponsors go to support the BAFOL displays, which take several months to set up and require ongoing maintenance. This year’s platinum level sponsors include Buckingham’s Restaurant at the Clarion Hotel, Fairfield Resorts, Golden Corral, Grand Country Square, Hollywood Wax Museum, IMAX Entertainment Complex, Legends in Concert, Myer Hotels, Ozark Mountain Bank, Presleys’ Country Jubilee, Skaggs Community Health Center, Stone Hill Winery and White River Valley Electric Cooperative among others. This year’s media sponsors include Hometown Radio, KHOZ and KTTS

Universal Concepts, the nationally known company that built many of the displays in the Parkway has also created lighting displays for Walt Disney World, the Centennial Olympic Park, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, Dollywood and Anheuser Busch.

“This community has put a lot of effort into enhancing the holiday experience for visitors. Branson offers spectacular Christmas shows, millions of lights, and countless shopping options, plus dozens of other ways to be entertained with friends and family,” said David Arney, president and CEO of Akers and Arney Insurance Associates and chairman of Branson Area Festival of Lights Committee.

The spectacular beauty of the Parkway and other area lighting displays has been captured in a professionally produced 30-minute video, available at the Welcome Centers for only $20 for DVD and $15 for VHS. Maps of the area’s lighting displays can also be picked up at the Welcome Centers.

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