Holiday in the Park
{{Short description|Annual holiday event at Six Flags parks}}
{{Infobox attraction|name=Six Flags
Holiday in the Park|logo=Holiday in the Park logo.jpg|imagedimensions=250px|caption=|altname=|type=Annual event|theme=Christmas|custom_label_1=Season|custom_value_1=Late November-Early January}}
Holiday in the Park (known as Christmas in the Park at Six Flags México and as Winterfest at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom) is a Christmas event that takes place at several Six Flags parks. The event features Christmas lights along with live entertainment, and usually follows Six Flags Fright Fest in October. In 2020, Holiday in the Park was re-imagined to Holiday in the Park Lights for certain parks following the COVID-19 pandemic.
History
File:Holiday in the Park (Six Flags over Texas).JPGs that make up Six Flags Over Texas annual Holiday in the Park celebration.]]
Six Flags started Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Texas in 1985. The event ran from late November to early January.{{cite web|title=Holiday in the Park|url=http://www.guidetosfot.com/parkinfo/events/holidayinthepark/|publisher=Guide to SFOT|access-date=October 23, 2011}} During this time the park was transformed into a gigantic holiday festival, with hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights as well as special holiday shows, rides, merchandise, foods, drinks, and a giant Christmas tree in the center of the park. The event was expanded to Six Flags Astroworld in 1988.{{cite web|title=Timeline|url=http://www.sixflagshouston.com/timeline/|publisher=SixFlagsHouston.com|access-date=October 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022020041/http://www.sixflagshouston.com/timeline/|archive-date=October 22, 2011|url-status=dead}} Six Flags Over Georgia held the event in 1989 and 1990 but discontinued it after 1990.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom opened this event in 2007, and Great Escape in 2009 to compensate the economic slowdown of the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009. Six Flags Astroworld's last season for this event was in 1997, and the event was cancelled in 1998.{{cite news| url=http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2005/09/12/daily10.html | title=Houston's AstroWorld theme park to close | date=September 12, 2005}} The Great Escape's event ran only for the 2009 season as Six Flags stated that the event was successful at the park, but also claimed a "business decision" was the reason behind the cancellation of the "Holiday in the Park" for the 2010 season.{{cite web | url= http://poststar.com/news/local/article_4796d862-8062-11df-b6c5-001cc4c03286.html | title= Great Escape cancels Holiday in the Park 2010 | last= Donnelly | first= Scott | date= 25 June 2010 | publisher= Post Star | access-date= October 24, 2011 }}
Six Flags México and Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark announced they will be celebrating a Christmas event similar to Holiday in the Park but as Christmas in the Park in Mexico and Holiday in the Lodge in New York, starting winter 2012.{{cite web|title=Six Flags Mexico is ready ...|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151148272652138|author=Six Flags Mexico|publisher=Facebook|date=September 6, 2012|access-date=September 6, 2012}}
In April 2014, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Over Georgia both announced that they will host the Holiday in the Park Christmas event in late 2014 and for future years after.{{cite web|title=Six Flags Magic Mountain Lights Up the Season by Introducing Holiday in the Park® Event
|url=https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/newsroom/holiday-in-the-park-announcement|author=Six Flags Magic Mountain|publisher=Six Flags|date=April 8, 2014|access-date=April 8, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Six Flags Over Georgia's Holiday in the Park|url=https://www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia/special-events/festival/holiday-park|author=Six Flags Magic Mountain|publisher=Six Flags|date=April 28, 2014|access-date=April 28, 2014}}
Six Flags Great Adventure started having Holiday in the Park events in 2015.{{cite press release|url=https://www.sixflags.com/greatadventure/special-events/holiday-in-the-park/news-release|title=News Release|work=Six Flags Great Adventure|access-date=24 June 2015}} In 2016, Six Flags St. Louis and Six Flags America started hosting the event. In 2017, Six Flags New England began hosting the event. Six Flags Great America and Frontier City debuted Holiday in the Park in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/special-events/holiday-in-the-park|title=Special Events at Six Flags Great America}}
In 2022, Holiday in the Park was removed from the event lineup of several parks, including Six Flags Great America, Six Flags New England, Six Flags America, Six Flags St. Louis, and Frontier City.{{Cite web |title=Six Flags on Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClAG-FsqwSD/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Instagram |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Transcribing |first=Motley Fool |date=2022-11-10 |title=Six Flags (SIX) Q3 2022 Earnings Call Transcript |url=https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2022/11/10/six-flags-six-q3-2022-earnings-call-transcript/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The Motley Fool |language=en}}
Locations
=Current locations=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Location
!First Season !Months Operated !Notes |
|---|
| Six Flags Over Texas
|align=center|1985 |November to January | |
| Six Flags Over Georgia
|align=center|1989 |November to January |Originally operated from 1989 to 1990. Reinstated the event in 2014. |
| Six Flags Fiesta Texas
|align=center|2007 |November to January |The park had a Christmas event before from 1994 to 1997 as Lone Star Christmas. |
| Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
|align=center|2007 |November to January |Operates as Winterfest |
| Six Flags Great Escape Lodge
|align=center|2012 |November to January |The park's resort/indoor waterpark hosts "Holiday in the Lodge." The theme park is closed during this time. |
| Six Flags México
|align=center|2012 |November to January |Operates as Christmas in the Park. |
| Six Flags Magic Mountain
|align=center|2014 |November to January | |
| Six Flags Great Adventure
|align=center|2015 | November to January | |
=Former locations=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Location
!First Season !Last Season !Months Operated |
|---|
| Six Flags AstroWorld
|align=center|1988 |align=center|1997 |November to January |
| Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor
|align=center|2009 |align=center|2009 |November to December |
| Six Flags Great America
| November to December |
| Six Flags America
|align=center|2016 |November to December |
| Six Flags New England
|align=center|2017 |November to December |
| Frontier City
|align=center|2018 |November to January |
| Six Flags St. Louis
|align=center|2016 (Original) 2022 (Holiday Square) |2022 |November to January |
Re-imaginations
=Winter Lights=
Six Flags operated Winter Lights at Six Flags Great Adventure for the 2002-2003 and 2003–2004 seasons in November through January. It was a drive through (like the previous incarnation of Safari Off Road Adventure called Six Flags Wild Safari) with Christmas lights along the road and also with holiday rides, food, and shops.{{cite web|title=Winter Lights at Six Flags Great Adventure|url=http://www.greatadventurehistory.com/WinterLights.htm|publisher=Great Adventure History|access-date=October 23, 2011}}
=Holiday in the Park Lights!=
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state limitations, Six Flags Great America, Six Flags New England and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom operated Holiday in the Park Lights!. The event was specifically a light show only, with no rides operating. At Six Flags Great America, the park also ran shows during the event.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-09|title=Enjoy the Holidays Safely at Six Flags' Annual Holiday in the Park® and the New Holiday in the Park Lights|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201109005426/en/Enjoy-the-Holidays-Safely-at-Six-Flags%E2%80%99-Annual-Holiday-in-the-Park%C2%AE-and-the-New-Holiday-in-the-Park-Lights|access-date=2020-12-07|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-10-15|title=Six Flags Great America to reopen with Holiday in the Park Lights this November|url=https://wgntv.com/podcasts/coastin-the-country/six-flags-great-america-to-reopen-with-holiday-in-the-park-lights-this-november/|access-date=2020-12-07|website=WGN-TV|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-11-28|title=Holiday in the Park Lights kicks off at Six Flags New England|url=https://www.wwlp.com/news/health/coronavirus-local-impact/holiday-in-the-park-lights-kicks-off-at-six-flags-new-england/|access-date=2020-12-07|website=WWLP|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-11-12|title=Six Flags Discovery Kingdom sets dates for 'Holiday in the Park Lights'|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/11/12/six-flags-discovery-kingdom-sets-dates-for-holiday-in-the-park-lights|access-date=2020-12-07|website=The Mercury News|language=en-US}}
The event re-operated one last time at Six Flags Great America for the 2021 season with the re-operation of some rides, indoor theater venues, along with the Drive-Thru experience. The event ran from November through December.{{Cite web |last=Tornabene |first=Juliana |title=Six Flags Great America park, drive-thru holiday light shows return |url=https://www.nbc15.com/2021/11/09/six-flags-great-america-park-drive-thru-holiday-light-shows-return/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.nbc15.com |date=9 November 2021 |language=en}} After this, the event was completely cut out for the 2022 season, with no word on if the event will ever happen again.{{Cite web |date=June 10, 2022 |title=Six Flags unveils annual pass program, events lineup |url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/six-flags-annual-pass-events.amp |access-date=June 18, 2022 |website=Fox 6 Milwaukee}} At Six Flags New England, the lights-only event also ran for the last time from November through January.{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Heather |date=2021-11-08 |title=Six Flags New England's Holiday in the Park Lights returns with more lights |url=https://www.masslive.com/entertainment/2021/11/six-flags-new-englands-holiday-in-the-park-lights-and-holiday-in-the-park-drive-thru-returns.html |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=masslive |language=en}}
= Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience =
In 2020, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Six Flags New England and Six Flags Fiesta Texas operated the Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience, which was a drive-thru experience with lights and shows, but with no rides operating. It operated only on weekdays at Great Adventure, Fiesta Texas, New England and Great America, with the normal Holiday in the Park or Holiday in the Park Lights event on the weekend, before it operated stand-alone in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-23 |title=Six Flags Great Adventure Getting Set For 'Holiday In The Park' Drive-Thru Experience |url=https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2020/11/23/six-flags-great-adventure-getting-set-for-holiday-in-the-park-drive-thru-experience/ |access-date=2020-12-07 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-11-13 |title=Six Flags Magic Mountain Announces Holiday in the Park® Drive-Thru Experience |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201113005690/en/Six-Flags-Magic-Mountain-Announces-Holiday-in-the-Park%C2%AE-Drive-Thru-Experience |access-date=2020-12-07 |website=www.businesswire.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Jakob |date=2020-11-25 |title=Six Flags announces Holiday in the Park drive-thru experience |url=https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/11/25/six-flags-announces-holiday-in-the-park-drive-thru-experience/ |access-date=2020-12-07 |website=KSAT |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-12-09 |title=Six Flags Great America Announces Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru |url=https://www.coaster101.com/2020/12/09/six-flags-great-america-announces-holiday-in-the-park-drive-thru/ |access-date=2020-12-09 |website=Coaster101 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-12-11 |title=Six Flags announces new Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience |url=https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2020/12/11/six-flags-announces-new-holiday-in-the-park-drive-thru-experience |access-date=2021-01-19 |website=Times-Herald |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-01-04 |title=Six Flags New England Holiday in the Park launches drive-thru experience |url=https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/six-flags-new-england-holiday-in-the-park-launches-drive-thru-experience/ |access-date=2021-01-19 |website=WWLP |language=en-US}}
The experience operated again at Six Flags Great America and Six Flags New England from November 2021 to January 2022.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.wcnc.com/news/slideshows/181350521.html?gallery=y&c=y&ref=%2Fnews%2Fslideshows In Pictures: Holiday in the Park]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130513085024/http://www.nationalparks.org/explore-parks/travel-ideas/holiday-parks Travel Ideas: Holiday Parks]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034548/http://www.visitvallejo.com/event-calendar/index.php?event=838 Holiday in the Park at Visit Vallejo Tourism website]
{{Six Flags}}
Category:Recurring events established in 1985
Category:Christmas events and celebrations
Category:Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Category:Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Category:Six Flags Great Adventure
Category:Six Flags Great America
Category:Six Flags Magic Mountain
Category:Six Flags New England