“One thing we’ve done this year is added a grove of 24 pine trees, which we are calling dancing trees,” said Director of Park Operations Shaun Higgins, who co-directs the park with Jeni Barton.
Another highlight focuses on the park’s new sculpture, “Garden of Sculpture.” The interactive area encompasses seven to nine pieces of sculpture that will be illuminated with lights as well as moving lights throughout. It will be a different lighting effect with things appearing and disappearing.
There’s an open fairway in front of the “Age of Stone” sculpture that will be lined with hundreds of thousands of lights.
“We’re going to have motion sequence with the lighting, shooting right up through this field of lights, so the ‘Age of Stone’ will pop with different spotlights on it,” Higgins said.
Lynn Kinkaid also donated to the park to revitalize the nativity scene, along with the addition of several new decorations.
The landscape of the display has changed as far the geography of the park. There is a new sculpture along the route, and the park has lost some trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer, Higgins said.
A few of the traditional features will include decorated ponds with swans, the skating pond with a sequence of skaters that light up and doves overhead. Children enjoy the giant lighted inflatables in the pavilion.
Hamilton’s popular drive-through light display will be open on nightly from Friday, Nov. 18 through Sunday, Jan. 1. The attraction will open at 6 p.m. each evening.
“The holiday light display has gained quite a reputation. It’s an opportunity for guests to see the park in a different light. For some visitors, it’s their first introduction to the park,” Higgins said.
Pyramid Hill’s park crew begins designing the light display in September. In the two-mile round trip, visitors can expect to see light displays close to the road with gardens of light as well as those that go further and deeper into the park’s background and surrounding lakes.
“Last year was the biggest holiday light show we have ever had in terms of the number of people that visited, so that set the bar high for this year,” Higgins said.
A record number of about 3,500 cars visited last year, he said.
As a nonprofit organization, Pyramid Hill’s Holiday Lights on the Hill is a major winter fundraiser for the park. Funds help maintain the 300-plus acre outdoor sculpture park and the Ancient Sculpture Museum.
How to go
What: Holiday Lights on the Hill at Pyramid Hill
Where: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Ohio 128, Hamilton
When: Open every night from Friday, Nov. 18, through Sunday, Jan. 1. Hours are 6-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6-10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Cost: $20 per carload Monday through Thursday; $25 per carload Friday through Sunday. Admission for members presenting a current membership card is $15 every day.
More info: www.pyramidhill.org or (513) 868-8336
Also
Pyramid Hill is partnering with several local organizations to feature four special evenings this year:
6-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1: Serve City Night: Bring a non-perishable food item to receive $15/carload admission (regularly $20).
6-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8: Toys for Tots Night: Bring an unwrapped new or packaged toy to receive $15/carload admission (regularly $20).
6-9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12: Military Night: Show your military ID to receive $15/carload admission (regularly $20).
6-9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19: Letters for Santa Night: Santa will be here to take your letter to the North Pole.
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