City launches inaugural Winter Lights Downtown

The Winter Lights Downtown display in Pack Square Park West features a sequence of 7 colors shining on 8 trees.

The Winter Lights Downtown display in Pack Square Park West features a sequence of 7 colors shining on 8 trees.

 

The City of Asheville launched an exciting new holiday light display this season called Winter Lights Downtown. The seasonally bright display is centered around the Vance Monument and Hoss Haley fountain area of Pack Square Park, known as Pack Square Park West.

This holiday light display is brought to our residents and visitors through collaboration with The North Carolina Arboretum Society. The Arboretum hosts its own Winter Lights nighttime exhibit Nov. 18, 2016 – Jan. 1, 2017, full of uniquely-lit displays and landscapes that are composed of nearly 500,000 energy-efficient LED lights.

From Nov. 19, 2016 through Jan. 1, 2017, eight trees in the Pack Square portion of Pack Square Park will be brightly lit in seasonal tones.

The lights were turned on at a kick-off event that evening following the Asheville Holiday Parade, which is presented annually by the Asheville Downtown Association. Winter Lights Downtown was launched with a small ceremony with Asheville Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler and N.C. Arboretum Director George Briggs.

“We are excited to partner with the City of Asheville and help light up downtown this holiday season,” said George Briggs, executive director of The North Carolina Arboretum. “Our Winter Lights exhibit has been extremely popular since its inception in 2014, and we look forward to extending the exhibit and sharing a portion of it with Asheville residents and visitors in Pack Square Park.”

The City of Asheville looks forward to this inaugural Winter Lights Downtown display and invites everyone to come celebrate the holiday season in downtown Asheville.

For more information, contact Brenda Mills, Economic Development Specialist, at 828-259-8050 or bmills@ashevillenc.gov.

 

About The North Carolina Arboretum

Each year more than 500,000 visitors experience the Arboretum’s gardens, trails, exhibits and plant shows, educational programs, demonstrations and lectures. The Arboretum’s ability to meet its mission and enrich the visitor experience is made possible by a community of supporting resources – from members, volunteers and staff to state and local funds, tribute gifts, grants and community partners.

The central mission of The North Carolina Arboretum, an affiliate institution of the 17-campus University of North Carolina system, is to cultivate connections between people and plants. A standard $12 per vehicle parking fee is required for non-members. Special events and after-hours activities may require additional fees. For more information, call 828-665-2492 or visit www.ncarboretum.org.