Callaway Resort & Gardens celebrates 30th annual Christmas show with 10 million lights

Snow doesn’t often come to Harris County.

So, the other trolley passengers laughed good-naturedly when a young boy dressed in a thick coat, gloves and a cotton hat exclaimed that he saw snow up ahead.

To be fair, it was a cold evening and the breeze from the moving trolley bit at the faces of the attendees as they admired all the lights that surrounded them on their left, right and above. But this is still Georgia, and real snow was unlikely.

The adults — who enjoyed experiencing the attraction through the eyes of children — smiled at his persistence that he saw snow believing he was referring to the snow shaped Christmas lights that were hanging above them from trees.

Moments later everyone on the trolley gasped and laughed as they were blasted with fake snow.

Bringing the iconic wintry weather south was only a small part of the holiday magic that the 30th anniversary of Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens had in store for the now traditional event.

“For three decades, millions of families have made Fantasy in Lights a cherished Christmas tradition,” said Callaway Gardens Vice President Sonny Horton in a news release.

Featuring more than 10 million lights this year, one of the biggest spectacles of the trolley ride includes Celebration Lake, which pays tribute to the past 30 years of Fantasy in Lights.

Fantasy in Lights is Callaway Gardens’ kickoff to the holiday season, Rachael McConnell, marketing manager at Callaway Gardens told the Ledger-Enquirer, and this year there are two parts to the experience: the drive-thru portion and walk-thru edition.

Participants can ride the open-air Jolly Trolly or go through the drive-thru experience from their own cars. While McConnell recommends the trolley, she advises that people wrap up in coats and bring a blanket.

Throughout the ride, holiday music fills the air as passengers go through 17 scenes, including Snowflake Valley, the Tunnel of Lights, 12 Days of Christmas and the Magical Field of Lights, which spans nearly two football fields and features a 10 story Christmas tree.

While there is a prerecorded narrator that will introduce each scene from leaping frogs to Santa’s workshop, trolley drivers also provide tidbits of information. This includes the driver pointing out a barn that was part of the Callaway family’s home Christmas decorations and is one of the oldest pieces of decor in Fantasy in Lights.

The immersive walk-thru Callaway Christmas Village experience was introduced in 2021, McConnell said, and was expanded this year to include more scenes. In the village, families can enjoy a 50-foot Christmas tree and a 75-foot-long Christmas tunnel that lights the way towards the Winter Wonderland Walkway.

In the walkway, visitors can enjoy a multitude of lights and scenes set in a forest as they follow the trail to Christmas Tree Lane. At the end of the path, attendees may see a fire blazing where they can go make s’mores and take advantage of more photo opportunities.

Near the s’mores, there is the Christmas Market. Classic characters like Santa, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and their friends, such as Trixie the Circus Elf are available in the market to meet with families.

Visitors can also find seasonal shopping, hot chocolate and Christmas treats in the market.

While walking through the event, participants should also take note of the ornaments decorating Christmas trees. Businesses and other organizations, such as the Lafayette Society of Performing Arts, have also helped to decorate the trees around Fantasy in Lights.

Ticket prices for Fantasy in Lights vary depending on the day, but people can visit callawaygardens.com to learn more about purchasing tickets and scheduling a drive-thru.

“We hope (guests) leave with a sense of magic,” McConnell said. “And that they’ve created a shared experience and, hopefully, a Christmas tradition.”