Officials at the City of Grand Prairie Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department have good news for fans of the City’s annual Grand Prairie Lights tradition: The park re-opened for a 15th year on Thanksgiving night—safely and with almost no adjustments required for park visitors, thanks to the event’s already-baked-in socially-distanced structure.
Located along the shores of Joe Pool Lake, Grand Prairie Lights is a two-mile, drive-through holiday park experience that showcases a stunning display of more than five million lights arranged in hundreds of festive holiday scenes throughout the park. While the park’s out-of-car experience (the Holiday Village) will not open this year due to pandemic considerations, the event will feature a new drive-through concession option; and one of the most famous light installations—the animated grand-finale tunnel—will once again be in place to delight visitors as they make their exit from the park.
Since its premiere in 2005, Grand Prairie Lights has become one of the top holiday attractions in the region, drawing more than 29,000 vehicles and 165,000 guests last year alone. Duane Strawn, Executive Director for the City’s Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department, said that the City is expecting an even stronger turnout in 2020.
“Given the challenges of this year, people need something fun, exciting, and comfortingly familiar to look forward to this holiday season—and for thousands of North Texans, that’s Prairie Lights,” he said. “People also need to know that they’re going to enjoy a safe experience, and given the fact that we already have 14 years of practice under our belt when it comes to offering a large-scale, drive-through only experience—plus the minor safety adjustments we’ve made to this year’s event— we’re quite confident that we’ll be able to meet our guests’ expectations.”
Strawn also said that the City will offer a special discounted admission price to park visitors this year and a continued revival of the popular “Fast Pass” option that allows guests to upgrade their experience and bypass the line.
“Prairie Lights is Grand Prairie’s holiday gift to the community, and it’s a gift that’s even more meaningful to us this year,” he said. “We’re looking forward to celebrating the season with North Texans when we open the park gates on Thanksgiving night.”
2020 GRAND PRAIRIE LIGHTS FAST FACTS:
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE:
- Produced by the City of Grand Prairie Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department
- November 26-December 31 (Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve), 6-10 PM daily
- Lynn Creek Park at Joe Pool Lake (5610 Lake Ridge Parkway / Grand Prairie, TX / 75052)
ADMISSION:
$30 per car (up to eight people)—price reduced for 2020. A Fast Pass (line jump pass) is available for $99. Additional fees apply for limos, shuttles, and commercial vehicles. Find out more.
VISITOR TIPS/NEW FEATURES:
- Pre-purchase of online tickets is highly recommended, both in consideration of minimizing “touch” and in keeping park admission lines moving as quickly as possible.
- Allow plenty of time to fully enjoy the park—at least 45 minutes on slower nights, and up to three hours on holidays and weekends. Longer wait times are also anticipated once schools dismiss for winter break.
- Guests are encouraged to have masks on hand for possible interactions with park staff at the entrance gate or at the park’s public restroom area.
- Drive-through concessions will be available via card purchase only (no cash).
- Follow Prairie Lights on social media for special offers (such as the annual Prairie Lights “Cyber Monday” ticket sale the Monday after Thanksgiving) and for inclement weather announcements. More FAQS/tips.
- NEW THIS YEAR: Since Santa is practicing social distancing, he won’t be able to make his annual visit to the Prairie Lights Holiday Village—however, he will be offering virtual greetings via personalized video messages sponsored by the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce and available after Nov. 1 via the Prairie Lights website.
