Open Tonight!
We operate from November 22nd through (and including) December 31, 2024.
Sunday thru Thursday – gates open at 5PM and the display closes at 9PM
Friday and Saturday – gates open at 5PM and the display closes at 10PM
Be sure to arrive in plenty of time to drive our almost 1 mile long display before we close each night. (Most say it can take more than 30 minutes if you stop to watch the animated light show. Plan accordingly!) Remember, a majority of our lights and the animated light show are on automatic and will shut down at closing time.
There are NO PUBLIC RESTROOMS as the park facilities have been winterized.
CAUTION –
Fast Moving Lights
A caution for our photo-sensitive friends/visitors about the animated light show. Please be aware that our show uses fast moving flashing lights.
It Just Doesn’t “Happen”
Saturday, 10/5/2024, saw the initial step in getting ready for the holiday light display for 2024. We started by placing our wooden cutouts next to the trees,, posts, etc. where they formed different views all around the park. Then we added the lighted props and succeeded in getting them all up and wired.
Note that several volunteers came out to help, and it was most appreciated.
This activity continued each weekend in October up to opening day in November.
We opened this year on November 22nd, the Friday before Thanksgiving, at 5PM.
From the students of McKendree’s newest class to the great students from the Lebanon High School FFA group, along with several groups of “regular people” who came out and helped put together the display – we can only say “THANK YOU”. Without all of you, this display would not happen!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
McKendree’s
INTO THE STREETS
2024
This year’s McKendree “Into the Streets” happened on 8/24/2024 – and we couldn’t be any happier with the fine young folks that came to help us around Horner Park and especially with the Gazebo and the Greeters’ Hut. The Gazebo got a full coat of stain and sealer. The Greeters’ Hut was blessed with a complete paint job!
To all of the students that came to help, THANK YOU!
Thank You!
A VERY BIG THANK YOU to several groups for trying to help us bring Santa in for the season.
A wonderful surprise was when the McKendree Wednesday Night Bible Study group (who meet at the Dr Jazz building) was able to come out. It didn’t take very long at all and Santa found himself laying down.
Again – THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
It takes at least 16 people to man the braces and mounts on Santa before we can raise or lower him. He is 40+ feet wide and 23+ feet tall. Word has it that he is around 2000 pounds (not verified as we do not have a scale big enough).
THANK YOU EVERYONE
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all that visited our display this past year (2023!)
Thanks to you we will be able to continue our mission to make the 2024 display even better!
You are WONDERFUL!
We are looking!
Fact – Our display is growing and getting better every year. (Just ask those that have seen it lately!)
Fact – Our numbers are getting smaller due to folks “ageing out”. (Still members, but not able to come out and help with setup or tear down.)
Fact – If new members don’t join us, we will have to shut the display down. (No body wants this, but…)
Please consider joining us in our quest to provide a great display to the children and adults that come out to view the display each year.
(Sometimes several times each year!!!)
2024 is our 17th display year!
Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland (LWW) was brought together in 2007 (as “Christmas in the Park”) and began with our first display in 2008 with hand-made cutouts and some pretty big lighted displays. (The Train and Waving Santa among them.)
Waving Santa may be taking a vacation, but today we include all those other cutouts and wireframe displays and a whole lot more! We added the animated light show in 2012. Improvements to all areas in the display have been made each and every year since.
All of this is possible because of all our volunteers (we are ALL volunteers) and the donations given at the gate each night.
THANK YOU ALL!
More Hands,
Easier Work,
Better Display
Tradition, Plus Much More
All of the wooden cutouts are lovingly maintained by making sure that all the paint gets a touchup and all physical fasteners are up to the task of holding the props correctly.
A great number of the props were actually created by our elder members.
The majority of members of Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland have been with the project since the beginning (or very near). We are still intent on putting up a quality display for the people of the area who make us a part of their holiday season.
Over and over again we hear from folks coming through the gates, “we come every year”. Some come several times a year.
Thank You!
Thank you to all our volunteers!
The greatest blessing we get is when people volunteer to help us. Starting with setting up the display during October and November, to being a greeter, to dismantling and storing the display in January.
Our volunteers are GREAT!
Without you, this would not happen.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
Thank You for All The Donations!
To all of you who toss a few dollars into the donation buckets – THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
We were recently asked, “who sponsors all this?” Answer – We have no corporate sponsor. Our sponsors are all the folks who donate as they enter the display each year. To each and every one of them (YOU!) – THANK YOU!
The funds that you give have two purposes:
1. Help us pay the bills. Electric (as you can imagine, we do have an electric bill), rental of the park, and insurance (among other things).
2. Help us to expand the display. As many have noted, “there are so many new things each year.” This is true. We have been able to take the funds from previous years and get more and better items to include in our display.
The really good news is that thanks to donations, this year’s display IS so much better!
Join Us!
A Small Group with Big Results
Did you know that we are a very small group of individuals, dedicated to bringing a holiday display to the Lebanon area year after year?
Did you also know that each and every one of us who call ourselves “LWW (Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland)” are ourselves VOLUNTEERS? That is correct. No one is paid. In this way we turn any and all donations we receive back into the display itself.
We are always looking for others to join us, but now it is getting critical. We meet monthly on the third Thursday of each month from January through September. October through December we are working in the park. Our meeting place is the Training Room at Lebanon’s Fire Hall, with meetings starting at 6PM and usually lasting about an hour. Feel free to drop in.
Interested in Joining? Having some fun?
We are looking for new LWW members – Join Us!
We meet the third Thursday from Jan thru Sept in the Fire Dept. Training Room. 6 PM.
Also, if you would like to know more, give us a call (618) 660-7621.