Fred Loya to bring Christmas 'wow factor' to Ascarate Park holiday lights show
El Paso County's annual Christmas lights display at Ascarate Park will be getting a big Santa-sized boost.
El Paso County Commissioners Court on Monday unanimously approved a partnership in which the Fred Loya family will take over and bring the "wow factor" to the Holiday Lights on the Lake Spectacular at Ascarate Park, according to meeting agenda documents.
"The Loya Family is proud and honored to partner with the County of El Paso to bring you a spectacular light show that will provide El Pasoans from ages 1 to 101 with a unique holiday experience unlike any other," Loya said in a statement.
The Holiday Lights on the Lake will kick off the Friday after Thanksgiving on Nov. 25 with nightly light shows Friday to Sunday and light displays every evening through Jan. 6 at the county-owned park, officials said.
"Fred Loya Partners will provide all of the display set up, shows, and technical maintenance for the duration of the light displays to ensure a 'Disney' or as Mr. Loya states, 'wow factor' to visitors," stated a summary of the agreement in the Commissioners Court agenda.
The summary stated that the partnership would save the county $75,000 in having to replace old structures, as well as having two electricians on call every evening and having 15 park maintenance workers dedicated to set-up, repair and take down the lights over three months at the county-owned park.
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The Fred Loya company will pay the county to rent the pavilion daily, county documents stated. The county will provide the facility, power and security by sheriff's deputies, constables and private security. The county also forecasts to collect an estimated $60,000 in revenue from food trucks and vendors.
Insurance company owner and philanthropist Fred Loya's annual light show synchronized to holiday, classical and pop music is known for drawing thousands of spectators who gather nightly during the holidays in front of his home on Paseo de Oro in the Montwood area of East El Paso. The Loya holiday shows had become a Borderland Christmas tradition but didn't take place the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Loya has described his extravagant annual Christmas home show as a gift to El Paso. The home display, which has more than 450,000 lights, has earned a national reputation and in 2014 won "The Great Christmas Light Fight" on ABC — a friendly TV competition to see which family had the best holiday display in the country.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Fred Loya to bring 'wow factor' to Ascarate Park holiday lights
