Coca-Cola Park lights up for second year of Illumination holiday experience

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — About 1.5 million multicolored lights adorn the stands and field at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown.

Families crisscrossed through the diamond, which is lit with glowing Christmas trees and igloos, while a train loops around the perimeter of the field.

Every 10 minutes, the lights synchronize with the holiday tunes playing over the stadium’s loudspeakers.

On the concourse, giant presents form luminous archways as attendees move between holiday-themed activities and vendors. Visitors can also snap photos with Santa, the Grinch and Elsa from Frozen.

At the gates, visitors are greeted by a tall Christmas tree wrapped in yellow lights and topped with a golden star.

The ballpark the Lehigh Valley IronPigs call home plays host to a different spectacle in the winter: Illumination.

The second year of the holiday light show opens Nov. 14, following a preview night on Nov. 13 that showcased new additions after last season’s success.

“We had such great results last year; people raved about it. You feel a responsibility,” said Kurt Landes, president and general manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. “It really continues our mission of helping to create affordable family memories.”

This holiday season, Illumination added around 500,000 more lights, a carousel ride, a hayride with Mrs. Claus, a letter-to-Santa workshop and a heated dining hall.

Landes also noted the expanded Festival of Trees, where Lehigh Valley organizations decorate Christmas trees and visitors can donate to the tree they believe is best. Votes are counted at the end of Illumination, and the winning organization donates the proceeds to a charity of its choosing.

Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong, who attended the preview night, cited support from Lehigh Valley businesses and nonprofits as a major reason for Illumination’s success.

“The No. 1 thing about the Lehigh Valley is that everybody — businesses, nonprofits, everybody — supports all of the activities we have in this county and in the valley to make them successful,” Armstrong said. “You couldn’t do this without those community support groups.”

Landes also praised the support of local businesses such as Service Electric, Air Products and St. Luke’s, which he said help keep admission and concessions prices affordable.

Throughout the opening ceremonies, Landes stressed Illumination’s mission of providing a fun, affordable experience for Lehigh Valley families.

“(Coca-Cola Park) is a beautiful public venue, funded in part by the state of Pennsylvania, Lehigh County and the IronPigs themselves,” Landes said. “When you have that level of support from our community — we’re No. 1 in attendance across minor league baseball — I feel more of a bonus or responsibility to make this a venue available year-round, and this is a great opportunity.”

Tickets for Illumination can be purchased online starting at $11 per ticket. The event officially begins on Friday, Nov. 14.