Tips to Enjoy the Stephen Foster Festival of Lights:

The Event will take place December 4-31, 2015. The Park will be drive through only December 24 and closed Christmas Night. The Park will be open each evening until 9pm. It is recommended that you arrive early to fully experience the entire Festival. We recommend you allow at least one hour to experience the entire festival. Gates will close for ticket sales at 8:30 p.m.

The Festival of Lights will be the same each evening and it is recommended to come during weekdays if possible to avoid longer wait times compared to weekends.

Park staff are very efficient at getting visitors through the gate, however to make your wait time as short as possible at the North entrance, we recommend having your payment ready for the gate attendants. Credit card customers may be asked to pull to the side of the road while processing your transaction in order to ensure the rest of the line moves quickly. The entry fee for the event is $3.00 per person. Children ages 3 & under are admitted free.

While driving through the park, for your safety and the safety of other visitors, Please keep your headlights on. It is against Florida law to operate a vehicle at night without headlights or just parking lights. Please observe the posted speed limit of no more than 15 mph and expect to drive approximately 3-5 miles per hour around the lights. If you wish to stop to view an area, please be considerate to others & pull to the right side of the road so others can pass. Please respect the privacy of our campers by not entering the campground. Do not drive into lighted display areas or in grass areas.

If you plan on getting out and walking throughout the park, bring a flashlight for best visibility. The park is a natural area and has tree roots and other natural trip hazards so be careful when walking through the park. There are several sidewalks throughout the park you are also welcome to walk along. Visitors with disabilities may wish to park near each designated area they wish to visit or you are welcome to take walkways which lead to each main attraction. Do not walk near or inside any roped off areas. These areas are roped off for your safety and include electrical cords, wood stakes and other items not visible at night! In addition to the driving portion of the Festival, there are 4 primary points that visitors can enjoy: The Stephen Foster Museum, Winter Wonderland at the Carillon Tower, The Gingerbread Village at the Craft Square and Gift Shop area and the Train Display in the Auditorium. Here is what to expect in each area.

(1) The Stephen Foster Museum will be open each evening until 8:30 p.m. and will have interpretive displays, decorations, and a dulcimer player will be primarily in this area performing music on the hammered and mountain dulcimer. The Museum is a beautiful and breathtaking during the light display. (2) Winter Wonderland at the Carillon Tower- At approximately 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. each evening, the Carillon Tower will play holiday music from the world’s largest tubular bells. During the same time that the Carillon Tower is playing music, be sure to get in the vicinity of the canopy where snow flurries are expected! We don’t call it winter wonderland for nothing!

(3) Gingerbread Village at the Craft Square and Gift Shop- Here is where the goodies are to be found in every aspect! Complimentary hot cocoa, popcorn and marshmallows will be served and we even have a bonfire! This area is filled with Florida artists and crafters demonstrating their talents and offering one of a kind handmade gifts and items for sale. The Gift shop is like no other in Florida and truly has something for everyone! Full of beautiful handmade items, holiday decorations, and so much more. Visitors can purchase 3-D Holiday Glasses which magically transform each light in the park into illuminated reindeer, snowflakes, candy canes, etc. Santa will be by the bonfire every Friday and Saturday night starting at 6 pm until Dec.23! If you get hungry while visiting the park Wolverine Concessions will also be on hand and will be serving up many of their famous menu items including hot chili, and other entrees, funnel cakes, and their famous fried Oreo cookies!

(4) The Model Train Display is housed in our Auditorium. Visitors can enjoy the Lake City Train Club’s display! It is the largest portable train structure in North Florida. Donations are greatly appreciated and accepted at the park entrance, near the hot cocoa, popcorn and marshmallows but are not required. If you are able to help us support this event, we greatly appreciate it. If you are unable to donate, please enjoy the complimentary refreshments! Fun Facts: Each large tree has over 50,000 lights and takes approximately 3 full days to wrap. All displays were handmade and created by park staff and volunteers including candy canes, lollipops, etc. Special Thanks to the creative Talent of the staff at Southeastern Machine Works for fabricating and donating all of the large tree ornaments, shooting stars, snow people, fireworks, steamboat and much more! Park staff and Volunteers have worked since September 1st in order to decorate the park. Without their hard work and creative ideas this event would not be possible. Their motivation….seeing the smile your face as you enjoy the park so please be sure to tell them how much you enjoyed the event with a smile. We hope you put all worries aside and enjoy the holiday season with your family and friends in the Real Florida. Funding for this event was provided by the Stephen Foster Citizen Support Organization, local businesses, individual sponsors, such as you, & the Florida Park Service. To help sponsor this event contact the park office at 386-397-2733. To become involved with the Stephen Foster Citizen Support Organization, Please pick up an application at the Gift Shop or visit them online at www.StephenFosterCSO.org Come back and visit us throughout the year! Located approximately 1 hour from Jacksonville, Gainesville, Valdosta and Tallahassee, the Park offers 45 shaded campsites, 5 beautiful vacation cabins, and miles of hiking, bicycling and horse riding trails. The Museum & Carillon Tower is open daily 9-5. The Bell Tower plays musical concerts daily at 10, 12, 2, 4pm. The Gift shop and Craft Square is open daily from 10-5 Between January and November offering the most unique collection of handmade art in North Florida. The Park offers over 100 special events and workshops throughout the year. To learn more about our events and workshops visit us online at FloridaStateParks.org/StephenFoster or call 386-397-4331 Happy Holidays!