COVID-19 has cancelled a lot of traditions this year, but you can still see the holiday lights at Dorothy Oven Park in Tallahassee from the safety of your own car. We look at some of the changes made to the event and what you can expect if you decide to check it out in person.
Transcript:
Mayor John Dailey: There are 150,000 lights at Dorothy B. Oven. It’s absolutely magical.
We have a staff of five or six that begin in about August setting up Dorothy B. Oven and they work all the way up to the holiday season obviously that team maintains the the lights during the displays and then it’ll run all the way through new year.
So it actually was a local church that used to do a light show here in Tallahassee.
And in the beginning of the 90s they contacted the city and said we would
like for you to carry on the tradition we would donate all of our lights if you would continue to display and so back in 1990 we did the first light show here at Dorothy B. Oven park. Through the years obviously we’ve added to it so it’s this amazing production.
We started in about August to set up for the holiday season. I think one of the benefits of Tallahassee is everybody loves Dorothy B. Oven and they love the holiday lights. Now since we’re not doing Winterfest this year and we haven’t been able to do Elf Night, yhere’s actually been a higher concentration on people that want to come through and see the lights which is great. That’s why we do it, we do it for all the citizens here so we’ve seen great traffic coming through everybody’s been very
respectful and very healthy and you know playing their role as well but it’s been great this year.
We’ve got an amazing team at city of Tallahassee with Parks and Recreation and because of COVID. Since we have been emphasizing people to drive through the park instead of walk through the park. They have taken that approach to bring the lights closer to the road so you can have the most amazing experience from the front seat of the backseat of your car as you’re driving through.
I would strongly encourage people to wear their masks even though you’re outside because of the fact that the lights do bring crowds there are people that will be here. Let’s be smart, let’s be safe about it and enjoy the lights but wear your mask.
I want everybody to take a deep breath just really relax enjoy the lights and enjoy the holiday season this has been a very trying year for all of us and I think any time that we can just relax with our family. Count our blessings and enjoy this beautiful scenery this winter wonderland we should all take that opportunity. As a family we’ve been coming every year with our boys and as they have grown up watching their expressions as you just come in and all of a sudden it’s just this magical atmosphere with all of the lights. It’s a Tallahassee tradition.
