Plans are set for the annual display of Christmas lights and holiday decorations around Circle Drive in historic DeFuniak Springs. City officials and citizen groups selected “Holiday Movies” as this year’s theme and have invested $97,000 to enhance visitors’ holiday experience in both the historic downtown business district and adjacent Chipley Park, once the centerpiece of a gated campus/resort opened in 1885 for the annual Florida Chautauqua Assembly. This year's holiday light show is held nightly from November 29 to December 31 beginning at the DeFuniak Springs Library at 3 Circle Drive.
“This is the first year our community has truly rallied around a theme for Christmas Reflections,” says City Manager Mell Smigielski. “Families are going to enjoy seeing the new ‘Polar Express’ decorations and exhibit at our Victorian era train depot along with the many other major upgrades in holiday displays throughout the historic grounds. Wait until you see the adjacent, historic downtown business district and what Main Street DeFuniak Springs is doing which has never been done before!”
The City has invested $37,000 in new holiday displays for Chipley Park which embraces a perfectly-round, spring fed lake – the heart of the City’s historic district. Main Street DeFuniak Springs has invested an additional $60,000 for a large Christmas tree on Baldwin Avenue complimented with numerous smaller lighted trees, garland for the historic shops and thousands more Christmas lights to compliment the adjacent Chipley Park grounds.
“We are excited to welcome visitors to our community from throughout the country during this special time of the year,” says Mr. Smigielski. “Those who have been here before will be ‘wowed’ by what we’ve added,” he says.
Entry fee is $3/person, ages 6 and under free. Season passes available for $35. Tickets and passes can be purchased at the gate at 3 Circle Drive, DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Season passes also available at City Hall, 71 U.S. Highway 90 West, DeFuniak Springs, Florida. For additional information, call City Hall at (850) 892-8500.