Sedona Festival of Lights
A Red Rock
Fantasy
It’s
official. Christmas decorations have made it into department
stores before Halloween.
And while
some of us remember the good old days when you wouldn’t see a
tree or stocking until Thanksgiving, the 44 families and
organizations around Arizona who are participating in Red Rock
Fantasy started their holiday decorating months ago - long
before its November 16 opening ceremonies - to help bolster our
holiday spirit.
Each
holiday season, Red Rock Fantasy, hosted by Los Abrigados Resort
& Spa, attracts thousands of visitors and tour groups to Sedona.
And, while the event lasts only the few short weeks,
Thanksgiving through the New Year, planning for the event is a
year-round task that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
“This has
been a wonderful bonding experience for our family, our kids
have been working with us since year one,” said event veteran,
Cynthia Connolly. “Our grandkids now help - OK they get in the
way most of the time - but it is still a great time we share
together.”
Those who
have been participating in Red Rock Fantasy for years know that
there is an advantage to planning early. All theme ideas have to
be approved by a committee. Red Rock Fantasy promises 44 new
displays every year, so a theme can never be duplicated, and in
the cases where more than one group has selected a similar
theme, the ruling goes to whomever submitted their idea first.
Once the
themes have been approved, display sites (located through out
the resort’s landscape grounds) are assigned by lottery.
Participants are given a gift card from Home Depot to purchase
supplies, along with 12,000 lights, eight sheets of plywood,
glue guns and all of the glue they need to build their displays.
Contestant families can also contribute their own supplies with
some restriction.
Site
selection took place on May 7, leaving contestants with just a
few short months to bring their ideas to fruition. While many of
us were taking cover in the air conditioning, these families and
organizations were braving the heat to start work on displays
that, in the past, have included everything from our cartoon
favorites, to Santa’s workshop, and a 40-foot swan.
Red Rock
Fantasy contestants are spurred on by their holiday spirit and
the chance to win a lifetime vacation ownership package through
ILX Resorts, Inc., parent company to Los Abrigados Resort & Spa.
The winner of the competition is tallied from ballots cast by
event attendees.
“We owe the
success of Red Rock Fantasy to the hard work of our
participating families and organizations,” said Lori LoDuca,
vice president, ILX Resorts and event organizer. “It is truly a
pleasure working with the contestants each year.”
This year,
Red Rock Fantasy will be better than ever hosting a variety of
kids activities, concerts, carriage rides, and special events.
The “Lights
On Ceremony” for the 16th Annual Red Rock Fantasy will take
place at 4:45 p.m. on November 16, and will last through the new
year, ending with “Lights Out” on January 1. The festival is
open each evening (weather permitting) from 5-10:00 p.m. Fridays
and Saturdays, and 5-9:00 p.m. Sunday-Thursday.
Admission
is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $4 for ages 4-12,
complimentary ages 3 and under. For more information, call (928)
282-1777, toll free (800) 521-3131, or go on-line
(redrockfantasy.com).
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