WHEELING, W.Va.(WTRF) - The holiday season is here as Oglebay Park flipped the switch on its 31st annual Winter Festival Lights on Thursday night.
Every community has it's own traditions, but in Wheeling this tradition is so well-known that people from across the country visit in order to experience it first-hand.
"The Festival of Lights is a long tradition since 1985 and I have been here since 1985," said Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia). "We used to come up, my parents were living in Glen Dale, we would always come to the Festival of Lights. We enjoyed it with our children and I can't wait to bring my grandchildren here. It's a great way to start the season, do a family tradition and get the tourism dollars at the same time."
The Festival of Lights has grown over the years and now features a band new 3-D experience. Visitors can view the displays through new 3-D "Sleigh Bans" glasses that transform all of the lights.
"There are four different enhancements, so there's one of the glasses has a little reindeer, one of them has a snowflake," explained David Lindelow, President and CEO of the Wheeling Park Commission. "It's fun. You get a four-pack of glasses that give you different experiences."
Millions of lights that ignite displays across Oglebay Park. The festival officially begins on Friday and continues through January 3.
Visitors are welcome to see the lights Sunday through Thursday from dusk until 10:00 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from dusk until 11:00 p.m.
There are also many more holiday activities. Find more information at oglebaypark.com.