Lighting Up Time at Drusillas Park

Work is currently underway at Drusillas Park to construct this year’s Winter Wonderland Illuminations, ready for the Grand Switch On by Sid and Scrat from Ice Age on Saturday 30^th November.

Located in the Events Arena the impressive Winter Wonderland scene takes approximately three weeks to assemble led by zoo electrician, Sid Mornington West. Between 60–70,000 LED lights are used to create the display specifically chosen for their low energy consumption and environmental benefits.

Introduced to the zoo for the first time last year, the Winter Wonderland Illuminations have proved a popular Christmas attraction. Synchronised to festive music, the dazzling display incorporates a host of magical creatures in an ice-capped kingdom including reindeers, penguins, seals and polar bears. There are also mini trees, a 20ft mega tree and an LED waterfall and running stream.

For months a technical team have been working to sequence the lights in time to this year’s chosen playlist of festive songs, taking eight hours to input just one minute. The concept of animating lights to music was originally founded in the USA, although it is still very rare in the UK.

Work on the display will be complete in time for lighting up on Saturday 30th November. Sid and Scrat from Ice Age have been booked to switch on the Winter Wonderland Illuminations for 2013; the beloved duo will meet and greet visitors at intervals throughout the day before switching on the lights during a grand ceremony at 4.30pm. The attraction will then run everyday from 4.30pm until Sunday 5th January.

This will mark the official start to Drusillas Park’s Christmas Winter Wonderland 2013, which will see Father Christmas return to the zoo and the opportunity to hug a husky on specific days. For more information regarding Christmas events at Drusillas Park please see our Christmas page