Virginia Aquarium to Debut Holiday Trail of Lights This Season
The new walk-through display, opening Nov. 20, takes the place of the Oceanfront's Holiday Lights at the Beach event.
By Rahul Mehta ·
Virginia Beach crews have begun preparing for the holiday season well ahead of schedule, setting up a new light display at the Virginia Aquarium.
The Holiday Trail of Lights will be the first of its kind at the aquarium and replaces the former Holiday Lights at the Beach event. The display will run from the aquarium's North Building to its South Building and is set to open to the public on Nov. 20.
William Younce, director of Beach Events, said the installation team is making use of the warm weather. Visitors will be bundled up in jackets once the show opens, he said, but the people building it are working in the heat. "As you enjoy it, you're going to be wearing jackets, but we're all setting it up sweating," Younce said.
The move also requires crews to work differently than they did on the Oceanfront event. Younce said the skills needed to put the new show together are "completely different," noting that the team had never before needed scissor lifts at the beach.
Tickets will go on sale online beginning Sept. 24. Guests will be able to enter the trail from either the North Building or the South Building of the aquarium. A limited number of tickets will be offered for each time slot every night through the holiday season and into the new year. A twilight hour will begin earlier in the evening and is expected to draw fewer guests to the trail.
The Oceanfront display changed locations because of infrastructure concerns involving cars on the boardwalk. Some of the displays from that event will remain in the city, though the source did not specify where.
Younce said the new event is meant to recreate the atmosphere of family memories that visitors associated with Holiday Lights at the Beach. The trail will be divided into seven zones, each with its own light theme, decor theme and music theme.
"So all throughout the process you're going to be hearing the show, you're going to be seeing the show, and in some sections you're going to be feeling the show," Younce said.
The Holiday Trail of Lights opens Nov. 20 and will continue through the holiday season.
Source: WTKR News 3
