Silver Dollar City named to national Best Christmas Lights Displays list

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - For the 34th year in a row, An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City is underway and open to visitors. In years past, the festival put the park in the national spotlight by being featured on Good Morning America as one of the top five holiday events and being voted “Best Theme Park Holiday Event” 5 times in a row by readers of USA Today. Now, the park gets another national accolade.

U.S. News & World Report chose An Old Time Christmas as one of the 23 Best Christmas Lights Displays. The festival is only one of two featured in the Midwest, with the other being “Illumination: Tree Lights” at The Morton Arboretum west of Chicago, Illinois. Rachael Hood, Senior Travel Editor for U.S. News, says a lot of thought goes into making this list each year.

“One of our things that we definitely look at is actual attendee reviews,” says Hood. “We look at a variety of different review sites to see what real attendees are saying - what they’re liking the best and what makes this event unique. The other things our team of travel experts are looking for are unique experiences and the real festive atmosphere so that it appeals to a wide audience. We put together this list based on those parameters.”

When it comes to the festival at Silver Dollar City, Hood says many things made An Old Time Christmas an easy choice for the Midwest and across the country. “It really is a unique opportunity to have 6.5 million lights,” Hood states. “But, it’s really a whole village. The people can immerse themselves in the season and the festive atmosphere along with the shows that they have to offer. You can view the new Coming Home for Christmas and the classic ‘A Christmas Carol.’ There’s also Santa in the Carousel Barn, festive treats, and things like that. So, we really liked that it was an immersive experience for all ages.”

The festival runs until December 30. Additional details about the festival at Silver Dollar City can be found here. U.S. News’ complete list of the Best Christmas Lights Displays in the United States can be found here.

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