Each Christmas season at the Parkersburg West Virginia City Park is a Holiday in the Park Lights Display. Many individuals, families, businesses, and non-profit organizations devote their time and efforts to create, maintain, and set up the displays which are shown from a week before Thanksgiving with a grand opening event to January 15th. The Holiday in the Park Lights Display event started in 1994 and has become a tradition bringing local and out of town visitors to the park every year.
The event brings over 150 exhibits with 10 new displays this year featuring Garfield, Shrek, Scooby Doo, Cindy Lou Who, Dora the Explorer, Mater the Tow Truck, a Church with an Angel, and the Woodcraft North Pole Workshop.
Woodcraft’s previous Dragon & Knight display was retired for this season so that repairs can be made by it’s new owner’s, the Holiday in Lights Board. The committee has a storage facility for making repairs and holding the displays that are donated from their original owners that cannot be taken care of anymore, kind of like The Island of Misfit Toys!
The Dragon display will return next year according to The Holiday in the Park Board member Jonelle Merritt. Jonelle stated, “There were many visitors inquiring about the dragon display not being in the mix this year” and, “A man and his grandson drove 2 hours just to see the dragon.” Jonelle also mentioned she “Was in fear of a community mutiny unless they brought the dragon back!” So we’ll look forward to the appearance of the reconditioned dragon next year.
Woodcraft’s VP of Distribution and Purchasing (and also our North Pole Workshop Chief Elf), Jerry VanCamp put a team together starting in May of 2011 for the design and build of this new display. This team of Woodcraft elves devoted several days per week for 7 months into the construction and decorating of this workshop on wheels.
Left to right are Ben Bell, Brian Renner, Mike Townsend, Mark McCallister, Lori Milner, and Jerry VanCamp. Other team members that devoted their time and talents to this project are; Roger Bailey, Stephanie Burdette, Liz Byers, Kyle Crabtree, Lisa Davis, Jay Day, Paula Garner, Tim Geist, Jason Guthrie, Melissa Hamrick, Klare Kimes, Jason Knapp, Darin Lawrence, Jared Mossor, Sam Murner, Heidi Murphy, Stephanie Parsons, Rob Patterson, Tara Piggott, Kim Scott, Lisa Shafer, Brian Swisher, and Stacy Taylor.
Jerry said, “Woodcraft has been a part of the Holiday in Lights tradition for over a decade. This new workshop shows the elements of woodworking typical to the personality of who and what Woodcraft represents.”
Above, Jason gives final instructions to the elves! Really Jason, you’re working way too hard!
Below, we left Brian under the electrical panels just in case there’s a problem! Don’t worry Brian, we’ll bring you Christmas dinner!
Jonelle said, “Woodcraft’s Workshop is the traffic stopper in the line of cars waiting to see the new display this year!”
Inside you will find three elves busy at work sawing, hammering, and sharpening away using tools to build Christmas gifts for all to enjoy. The elves were built by Howard M. Sandy Designs and Classic Displays, Toronto, Canada.
You can be as busy as these elves by heading to your local Woodcraft store this season to pick up some fine tools and all kinds of great products to use for building projects for yourself or gifting to others.
This video contains many other in process workshop build photos and the full story with Jerry VanCamp’s interview on this new display,
Drive out to see all the displays in person and you will receive candy canes with your donation at the Holiday in Lights at the Parkersburg City Park, located at:
City Park
1920 Park Ave
Parkersburg, WV
Thanks to everyone at Woodcraft for their dedication to the community, and to each other.
You are all great to work with!
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to ALL!…Frank
