ASHLAND — The Christmas Lights and Delights drive-through debuts at the Ashland County Fairgrounds on Thursday, making a new staple holiday event for the community.
It will run Thursday to Sunday every week from 6 to 9 p.m, with the last day set for Dec. 28. The attraction is closed on Christmas.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the lights from the comfort of their car, or by horse-drawn carriage ride, and listen to Christmas music during the display.
Entry costs $10 per car, $20 per small bus or transport van, $50 per large/charter bus and $10 for an eight-person horse-drawn carriage ride.
The carriage rides are provided by Ashland Draft and Pony.
Kaylee Billinghurst, Explore Ashland office coordinator, said 78 businesses, organizations, clubs and community groups decorated a plot for the Christmas lights drive-through. She initially hoped for 20.
“The amount of response that we had was just truly amazing. We’re hoping next year we can quadruple everything,” Billinghurst said.
“The community is just so excited to have one other thing, Christmas-spirit-wise, right here in Ashland,” she said.
Money from the ticket sales will be given to the volunteers who will work at the gates, the organizations who helped plan the event, which includes the fairgrounds and the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce.
Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Membership and Marketing Emily Grimm approached the fair board with the idea of a Christmas lights drive-through in October of 2024.
She wanted Ashland to have a Christmas event that is not outdoors, such as the Candy Cane Trail at Freer Field.
The idea was perfect, Grimm said.
“We can lean on our community that loves to celebrate everything Ashland,” she said.
Grimm wants to continue to build the event each year, adding more lights, decorations, participating community members and potentially an accompanying Christmas market.
