Lighting Up the Holidays

November 30, 2020

10:23 AM

The holidays look a little different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have an Elvis-style blue Christmas. Sure, large indoor parties are a thing of Christmas past, and many people are forgoing risky travel and staying closer to home. For Kentuckians, that’s OK, because home is full of holiday cheer. Thanks to these events across the Commonwealth that deliver family fun while following state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, it’s still the most wonderful time of the year.

Illuminated Evenings at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

At Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, cider-sipping holiday revelers gather expectantly around a towering Christmas tree that seems to pierce a canopy of stars.

Three, two, one … Wow! A merry Mrs. Claus lights the tree, kicking off the Illuminated Evenings festivities. The annual event offers craft-making opportunities for kids, holiday music and more.

Billy Rankin, vice president of public programming and organizational strategy, said that, despite having to implement the necessary safety precautions, the event is as festive as ever, and he hopes it brings a sense of normalcy to the community.

“This year has been difficult for everyone, and, of course, it has altered how we share Shaker Village with the public,” Rankin said. “We have outdoor caroling rather than indoor performances, and additional fire pits and seating options outdoors allow our guests to soak up the joy of the holidays while staying safe during their visit.”

In addition to traditional Christmas carols, visitors are likely to hear the Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts” that expresses the Shaker principles of simplicity and humility. It’s an example of how “illuminating” this sprawling living history museum can be, aside from the glittering white lights that make a dark December evening merry and bright.

Set on 3,000 acres in central Kentucky, this National Historic Landmark features 34 structures that preserve 19th-century Shaker life. The revolutionary religious society known for its tenets of egalitarianism and pacifism was committed to communal living, celibacy and a dedication to excellence in all things. The word “Shaker” comes from the frenzied dancing that was a hallmark of Shaker worship services.

Illuminated Evenings is the perfect opportunity to see the property after dark, but before you bask in the glow of all those lights, take the daytime Historic Village Tour to better understand the community that once flourished there.

Noteworthy stops include the three-story Centre Family Dwelling, an imposing limestone structure that once was a dormitory but is now a museum featuring exhibits on Shaker occupations, such as furniture making, and the 1820 Meeting House, which embodies the simplicity and symmetry of Shaker design.

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic likely will cause a shift away from the holiday materialism of the past, so perhaps this is the year to embrace the simple gifts the Shakers held so dear.

3501 Lexington Road Harrodsburg | 800.734.5611 | shakervillageky.org

Dec. 5, 12 + 19, 5-8PM, Admission $7-14, Historic Tour $7-14

Lights Under Louisville

Lights Under Louisville at Louisville Mega Cavern shines even brighter this year. Cruising through a 120-foot tunnel of multicolored LED lights has always been the big wow factor for this subterranean drive-through light show, but the addition of a second tunnel delivers twice the holiday dazzle. If you didn’t get that enviable Instagrammable shot you were hoping for the first time, you’ll get a second chance.

Also new is projection mapping, a technology that can project video onto any surface, not just a flat screen. In this case, the cavern walls are transformed into a magical holiday world that almost looks like a movie set, making visitors forget they are deep in the bowels of the Earth.

More than five million lights in 40 themed displays that include “Frozen,” “Disney Princesses” and Charlie Brown’s sad little Christmas tree turn a pitch-black underworld into a sparkling holiday extravaganza.

“Hometown Christmas” is a perennial favorite that captures the essence of the Bluegrass State with a massive Fort Knox tank, a depiction of Cumberland Falls and a tribute to Louisville’s first responders.

Basketball fans get a thrill out of seeing the state’s two big college teams, the University of Kentucky Wildcats and the University of Louisville Cardinals, lit up in all their glory. A word of advice: If your crew has die-hard fans rooting for opposing teams, put them in separate vehicles to prevent any trash talk that might land them on Santa’s naughty list.

Speaking of Santa, this year, kids can get a personalized video message from the big guy himself.

1841 Taylor Avenue, Louisville | 877.614.6342 | louisvillemegacavern.com

Nov. 13–Jan. 3, Mon/Wed/Thu 6–10PM, Friday + Saturday 5–10PM, Admission $29.99 per vehicle

Purchase tickets and personalized Santa video at lightsunderlouisville.com.

Southern Lights Holiday Festival

At the 27th annual Southern Lights Holiday Festival at the Kentucky Horse Park, a colorful illuminated exhibit depicts racehorses breaking from the starting gate at Lexington’s world-famous Keeneland Race Course, their jockeys crouched low as they coax the high-spirited Thoroughbreds to victory in a city known known as the Horse Capital of the World.

The awe-inspiring scene is just one of 220 themed light displays that unfold along this four-mile driving tour.

Non-equestrian displays such as “Disney Princesses,” “Jurassic Park” and “The Wizard of Oz” also are big hits, but it’s the horses that make this light show a one-of-kind event.

The park’s beloved Hall of Champions—think of it as an equestrian retirement home for racing royalty—is also portrayed in lights, capturing the strength and beauty of stars like Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner.

So now your little buckaroo or cowgirl wants a pony for Christmas, right? Tell the tyke it won’t fit in Santa’s sleigh, but he or she can ride one at Animal Land (a petting zoo in past years) after the tour. If the child is inclined to travel like the Three Wise Men, riding a camel is another option.

Kids will be chomping at the bit to return to check out the equestrian complex’s four museums and see the Parade of Breeds, a demonstration that showcases horse breeds from around the world.

4089 Ironworks Parkway, Lexington | 859.255.5727 | southernlightsky.org

Admission $25 per vehicle. Nov. 22–Dec. 31, 5:30–10:30PM

Christmas in the Trees

Paducah refuses to let the pandemic rain on its parade.

Instead of canceling the annual Christmas parade that draws large crowds and makes social distancing almost impossible, Paducah Parks and Recreation came up with an innovative solution to keep everyone safe—Christmas in the Trees at Noble Park. The floats don’t move, but you do. This reverse drive-through parade features dozens of dazzling floats designed by local organizations as part of an annual competition. Some of these whimsical creations have music, lights and animation—microcosms of performance art.

In keeping with the theme, each float is required to have a Christmas tree, and many are expected to boast over-the-top yuletide decorations.

Past years have produced Lion King-themed floats, patriotic floats and one with Santa driving a sleigh draped in lights.

For kids, being showered with candy is a parade highlight. They still will get their treats, but in individual goody bags.

Special Events Superintendent Molly Tomasallo Johnson said that, despite adjustments to the event, she’s confident it will bring joy to this western Kentucky community at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers.

“This year may be a bit different due to COVID,” Johnson said, “but we all still need Christmas cheer and the camaraderie that our float building and annual competitions bring—now, maybe more than ever.”

2801 Park Avenue, Paducah | 270.444.8508 | www.paducah.travel

Admission: Free. Dec. 5–6, 5:30–8:30PM