For 28 years, Chief Logan State Park has celebrated Christmas in the Park with an elaborate, drive-through exhibit.
The holiday festivities in Logan County kicked off on the evening of Thanksgiving this year, when the Christmas in the Park lights display welcomed its first guests of the season.
The exhibit is free to enjoy, and will be open every night up to New Year’s Eve. Along with the lights display, the park will offer various other opportunities to engage in some Christmas fun including hayrides, hot cocoa, a gift shop, and chances to meet and snap a photo with Saint Nick himself.
All these amenities will be available from 6pm-8pm, except the gift shop, which will remain open until 9pm each night. Hot cocoa and the gift shop will be accessible every evening, and cups of hot cocoa will be available for $2 apiece.
Hayrides, the newest addition to the long-running holiday event, will take place every Monday and Wednesday, and will cost $5 per rider. Children 4 and under will be permitted to ride for free.
Those looking to meet Kris Kringle will be in luck, as he will be making appearances at the park cabin through the month of December on the 6th, 7th, 9th, 14th, and 16th from 6pm-8pm. Photos will be available for $10, with all proceeds going toward the operation and maintenance of the exhibit, which operates solely on donations and revenue from extraneous amenities such as the aforementioned hayrides, hot cocoa, and photos.
The Christmas in the Park tradition began early in Bruce Collinsworth’s tenure as park superintendent, after he was approached by a couple interested in the idea. He ran it by the necessary people, and a local holiday tradition was born.
Collinsworth has stated that the display, which is said to utilize over a million lights, draws roughly 100,000 motorists each Christmas season. The exhibit’s assembly relies on volunteers from various local groups, including clubs and churches, who dedicate time to readying the park each year for its many guests.
Christmas in the Park is currently underway at Chief Logan State Park. To reach the exhibit, visitors will pass through the entrance road between the swimming pool parking lot in the park and W.Va. Route 10. The exhibit goes for roughly a mile and a half. Additional events are expected to be announced throughout the month. These announcements along with further information can be found at https://facebook.com/christmasInTheParkLoganWV/ and https://wvstateparks.com/event/christmas-park-chief-logan-state-park/.