By April Clark Honaker
Nothing spreads holiday cheer quite like Christmas lights. Since 2015, Lincoln Lights Up the Pines has been spreading cheer once a year with a drive-through Christmas light display in Lincoln Parish Park. This year, the lights will be up for viewing December 1-3, 5:30-10 p.m.
Admission will be $10 per car and $20 per bus.
According to Judy Copeland, the idea for the annual display came from a vintage camping group that had visited Tyler, Tx., and seen their trail of lights. They thought it would be a great idea to bring something like that to our area.
With support from the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, as well as volunteers and donations, the first light display was planned and executed in the park. Copeland said there were 12-15 businesses participating that first year.
However it’s the owners of the campers who are a big driving force behind the event. They spend days decorating their campers – all volunteer – so the event is a success.
What started out as 28 campers participating has grown to 64 this year
The event has grown to include Christmas scapes from more than 60 businesses, schools and organizations. Spaces are still available for this year’s display, and Copeland said she would love to see more organizations get involved.
“We really need more businesses,” she said, “It’s a great time for employees and their families to get out and decorate. It’s just therapy. You’ll be putting out Christmas lights, and a deer will walk by.”
Copeland would also love to see more schools get involved by adopting an area. She envisioned Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University creating displays glowing with their respective colors. “We could definitely work out a way that they could decorate an area and still keep our businesses,” she said. “People tell me all the time how much they appreciate seeing businesses there and how much it shows their support for the community.”
One annual participant, Neal Walpole of Walpole Tire & Service, said, “We’ve received so many positive comments from it. People I see at church, in the community, that come by the store, they seem like they appreciate the time and effort we put in to put our display up, and we really enjoy doing it.”
Along with the anticipated inclusion of more businesses and organizations this year, the Police Jury is adding a new stretch to the display with participating campers along the beach road. With more participants in place for this year, the 8th Annual Lincoln Lights Up the Pines is sure to be better than ever. Those interested in becoming a part of the event can register by November 25 on the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce website. Decoration for the event can begin November 27, and participants will receive an email from Copeland regarding the deadline for completion.
