Fantasy in Lights

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THE CHRISTMAS VILLAGE
Step into our heated haven of holiday cheer, treat yourself to a cup of hot chocolate, and take advantage of great Christmas shopping opportunities. Located in the Robin Lake Beach Dome, the Christmas Village features an all-new "Main Street" theme this year, as well as the Christmas Cafe; opportunities for pottery making, sand art, wax hands and personalized ornaments; and, of course, visits with Jolly Old St. Nick.

SCENES AND SHOWS

	Christmas Tree Lane: Load up the family car or hop aboard the Jolly Trolley and let us do the driving. A jaunt through this avenue of colorfully lit trees marks the beginning of an unforgettable five-mile odyssey full of moments to be cherished with loved ones.
	March of the Toy Soldiers: Two giant soldiers stand majestically at attention as you enter a scene that hearkens back to childhood with a rocking horse, a top, an airplane, a teddy bear and much more.
	Enchanted Rainbow Forest: Fantasy In Lights’ newest scene uses more than 400 images to convey a stunning progression through the changing seasons.
	Nature’s Wonderland and FIL the Frog: As you travel through our woodland Gardens, watch for an “enlightened” group of native inhabitants such as deer, turkeys and rabbits, plus FIL the Frog, whose lively antics have made this whimsical mascot a Fantasy In Lights favorite since the beginning.
	Firefly Cove: Massive dragonflies and butterflies twinkle in the woodlands, creating a spectacular scene of nighttime Southern splendor.
	Santa’s Workshop: Bundle up as we head to the North Pole for an inside look at Santa’s elves busily preparing for the big night.
	Twin Trees: Breathtaking in its beauty and simplicity, Twin Trees forms the most romantic of all the Fantasy In Lights scenes.
	The 12 Days of Christmas: This holiday favorite will bring a smile to your face as each day’s unique gift comes to life in a flurry of lights and animation.
	Snowflake Valley: Feel the chill as you enter this Winter Wonderland and are encased by a softly swirling snowfall.
	Magical Christmas Garden: A giant wreath gives way to a scene where Christmas flowers grow larger-than-life and doves of peace float elegantly overhead.
	Swan Lake and Hummingbird Fountain: An elegant mother swan is followed faithfully by her signets, while nearby Hummingbird Fountain flows brightly against the night sky.
	Skating Party: This nostalgic scene features colorful characters gliding and twirling across the frozen surface of a country pond.
Shows at Robin Lake Beach	Approx. 10 Minutes Each
	The Nativity: A reverent and inspiring telling of Jesus’ birth accompanies inspirational music and an orchestrated lights presentation. Your heart and spirit will soar as the true meaning of Christmas is conveyed.
	’Twas The Night Before Christmas: Savor the anticipation as this favorite tale is put to music and illustrated with twinkling images of sugar plums and jolly old St. Nick doing his night’s work.

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15 FANTASTIC FACTS
For more than 20 years, Fantasy In Lights continues to be the most incredible holiday light and sound show in the South. Here are a few fun facts from behind the scenes:

1. Fantasy In Lights opened in 1992 with five scenes. Since then, it has grown to include more than a dozen lighted scenes with music and many with animation.
2. The original scenes were designed by professionals who had formerly worked with Disney’s Imagineering department.
3. The total show includes around 8 million lights. This is equivalent to the number of lights on 26,666 standard 6-foot tall Christmas Trees.
4. It takes a lot of electricity to keep the lights burning and a lot extension cords to deliver it – roughly 3,500 of them.
5. More than 32 miles of cable is required to power the sound and lights.
6. About 12 million cable ties hold all the cables in place.
7. Three of the scenes are controlled with digital show controls, just like those used in Broadway productions.
8. If you connected all of the light strings used in Fantasy In Lights, they would stretch more than 725 miles. That’s enough to outline the state of South Carolina or stretch end to end from Pine Mountain to Baltimore, Md.
9. It takes approximately 3,900 man-hours to install Fantasy In Lights, 1,780 man-hours to maintain it while the show is open, and 1,020 man-hours to disassemble it.
10. It takes six weeks to install the entire show, with each scene requiring three to four days for installation.
11. The newest scene, Enchanted Rainbow Forest, has 410 controlled images. This has almost three times the number of images used in “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
12. Ninety-nine percent of the frames used in Fantasy In Lights are custom designed and built just for Callaway.
13. To turn on the show, more than 1,000 switches have to be flipped every night. It takes two workers at least 45 minutes to turn them on and another 45 minutes to turn them off at the end of the night
14. Each scene receives a major overhaul every three to four years. This process includes rewiring and restringing with new lights.
15. Each January, Fantasy In Lights is stored in a 6,500-square-foot warehouse, where it remains until the elves visit us again in the Fall to begin another year of the show!

FANTASY IN LIGHTS HISTORY
The seed was planted, appropriately enough, by Virginia Hand Callaway. Mrs. Callaway, who was so instrumental in making Callaway Gardens one of the world’s great botanical paradises, was the first to dream of a Christmas lights show at the Pine Mountain, Ga., retreat that she co-founded with her husband, Cason Callaway.