A unique lighting display can be experienced in Bessemer during December. The first ever Magic of Lights event is currently running at Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure.
Multiple holiday displays are set up throughout both the amusement park and the water park. Staff say the spectacles are illuminated with millions of LED lights on the grounds.
Alex Ramsey is the marketing manager for the parks. He said this is one-of-a-kind experience for Alabama locals and visitors in the Yellowhammer State.
“It's a unique Christmas light display because our guests get to drive their own car through both our amusement park and waterpark and see over 2 million lights, 12 miles of light cord,” he explained. “You know really cool displays. There's a 32-foot-tall waving Barbie, giant dinosaurs, 12 Days of Christmas, nativity scenes. All kinds of stuff set up all throughout the whole park.”
Ramsey said Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure keep busy during the summer and fall months, but the offseason is pretty quiet. He said the parks wanted to branch out this year and offer holiday attractions outside of the usual peak of the year.
“Really our main goal is to make family memories that lasts a lifetime. At this point, we're really only able to do that May through September, usually,” he said. “So, something we've really been trying to explore is ways to allow families to make those memories outside of those kinds of few short months where we operate as a waterpark [and] an amusement park,” Ramsey continued. “And so, by doing other events during our offseason, it kind of allows families to keep in touch with us and us to keep in touch with them.”
Organizers of the event say the Magic of Lights show uses about ten miles of steel to build the displays. Additionally, ten miles of LED lighting is also installed inside the display. Ten different colors of LED bulbs used in the shows. Ramsey said it took about two months to get the displays put together.
“There's a ton of lights. Whenever you're driving your car through the route, it’s over a mile long,” he said. “There's just there's a lot to see. Driving through takes anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes.”
The Magic of Lights display runs through December 31. Tickets can be purchased here.
