Holiday parks serve up Christmas spirit for guests

With lights glowing and visible from a distance, it’s not hard to spot Holiday Spectacular. More than 10 million lights strung through trees and over holiday displays pretty much guarantee the place will be seen.

Owner Maxine Chappell has lost count of the number of lights, but notices when one isn’t burning.

“We keep adding lights,” Chappell said. “We want to fill in any dark spots.”

In just its second season, the holiday park has come a long way since last year. Owners have completed construction on the park’s numerous buildings and created a place where children and adults can get lost in the holidays.

Holiday Spectacular, however, is not the only Christmas-themed park in the area. Christmas City in Ariton and Country Christmas in Dothan also offer their share of holiday spirit.

Christmas City, USA
Once the place to go to for holiday lights, this park in Ariton has seen changes in ownership over the years. It’s been under new ownership for the past month.

New owner John Kendall said he realizes the Christmas park has gone down hill in popularity in the last few years. But he hopes to change that and focus direction back to a Christian-oriented theme park.

“There’s so much that can be done,” Kendall said.

Kendall owns other property in the Ariton area, which is how he came to see the 77 acres off Highway 51. He had resisted looking at the property despite several suggestions from his realtor that he do so. He didn’t want to see it because he was afraid he would want to buy it. He did.

After he bought the property, Kendall replaced 80 percent of the lights and secured vendors for the park’s shopping center. He hopes to expand the park to become a year-round destination with flea market weekends, cabins around the park’s lake and RV hook-ups for campers.

Weddings have been held in the park’s chapel. A fireside music room called the Chatter Box offers a sheltered place for listening to live music. The Jolly Ol’ Elf is the place for food and hot chocolate. Lights line a winding road in the woods where visitors can drive through the Peppermint Forest and Candy Cane Lane.

Kendall, a father of four, said he wants to ensure the park remains a family place.

“It’s a clean, safe place you can bring your kids without having to worry about them seeing something bad,” he said.

Country Christmas
Located on Johnny Murphy Road, Country Christmas is a smaller-scale attraction with a big heart.

Musician Walter “Wally G” Waters began decorating the four acres with Christmas lights four years ago. The park skipped last year while Waters and Fred Bacher worked to open Crosscreek Junction, a music venue that features a Grand Ole Opry style show on weekends. And with a building built for good acoustics, music is playing a part in this year’s return of Country Christmas.

With special concerts on Tuesdays and the opry show on weekends, visitors to the park can drive through the display of of up to 70,000 lights for a donation and then pay admission for the music shows if they wish.

Waters said a portion of the proceeds this year will go to help cover costs related to the medical treatment of 3-year-old Conner Lokey, diagnosed earlier this year with acute leukemia.

Aside from the charitable aspect this year, Waters said he just loves to string the lights up and bring local musical talent together to perform. Waters and his helpers spent a month getting the lights ready.

“It’s just the kid in me,” Waters said. “Putting it up is just as much fun.”

Holiday Spectacular
Among the 55 acres that is Holiday Spectacular, visitors can find cabins, a tea room, a manger scene and a 48-foot Christmas tree.

Take a wagon ride. Walk the paved path lighted by the multi-colored tree lights or roast marshmallows over a fire pit. Sit in a pew at the church, a replica of the original Eastside Freewill Baptist Church, where several weddings have already been held. Visit Santa at his building.

But watch out for Rudolph — a silent clown in a reindeer suit who either delights children with hugs and hand shakes or stops traffic with his antics.

Three-year-old Lydia Garnett wouldn’t go near Rudolph on her family’s recent visit to the theme park. The Garnetts drove from Albany, Ga., to visit friends in Dothan and see the park.

“For the price and caliber of the lights, it’s well worth the ride,” said Michelle Garnett, Lydia’s mother.

Cheryl Johnson and her brother Albert Barnes sat by a fire near the park’s snack building, taking in the lights surrounding them.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Johnson said. “We just like the kids — they just laugh. It’s like being inside a Christmas tree.”

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Christmas City USA
Where: 4407 County Road 72 at Highway 51 in Ariton. Take U.S. 231 North through Ozark. Turn right on Highway 51 between Ozark and Troy. Follow the highway through Ariton and to Christmas City, USA, where Highway 51 intersects with County Road 72.
When: Through Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person or $10 season pass; Group rate for 15 or more people, $3 per person; Children 2 and under, free. All shows and entertainment, free.
Features: Pony rides, petting zoo, gift shops, puppet shows, hay rides, train rides, restaurant and lots of Christmas lights.
Phone: 762-2380; http://www.christmascitysite.com

Country Christmas
Where: Crosscreek Junction, 212 Johnny Murphy Road, Dothan. Take U.S. 231 South out of Dothan and follow to Highway 109. Turn right onto 109 at traffic signal and follow to Johnny Murphy Road. Turn right and Crosscreek Junction will be on the left about a quarter of a mile.
When: Through Dec. 26, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: Donations accepted for light display.
Features: Live Christmas music on Tuesday nights at 7:10 p.m. with a $10 admission and featuring Shane Owens. Also, opry show on Saturday nights at 7 p.m. with admission $7. A portion of proceeds from donations and show admissions will go to help cover costs for 3-year-old leukemia patient Conner Lokey of Dothan.
Phone: 791-7100

Holiday Spectacular
Where: 1768 Hubbard Road, Wicksburg. Take U.S. 84 West out of Dothan. Turn left onto Hubbard Road before you get to Highway 123.
When: Through Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Cost: Ages 3 and under, free; ages 4, 5 and 6, $4; all others, $6. Get $1 discount with military ID.
Features: Millions of Christmas tree lights wrapped in trees along with displays of the Old Lady in the Shoe, the town of Bethlehem and Winnie-the-Pooh’s tree house. The park also has a snack shop and hay rides.
Phone: 790-5112