Parkview Field strives to hit home run with Holiday Lights event; other cities report successes | Local | journalgazette.net

Light the Knights began four years ago to help generate revenue at a sports venue in Charlotte, North Carolina, during a year the pandemic caused countless event cancellations.

The walk-through holiday lights event was named for the minor league baseball team, the Charlotte Knights.

The Knights partnered with the European-themed Charlotte Christmas Village to put together the festive market and lights and décor at Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte, similar to what the TinCaps plan to launch in mid-November at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne.

“We planned it and we thought it might hit and, man, it hit bigger than we expected so that was a very pleasant surprise,” Knights General Manager Rob Egan said in a recent interview.

In the first year, the event attracted 30,000 people over 20 days. This year planners expect more than 160,000 people and Light the Knights now represents 20% of annual revenue for the Knights.

“We realized we had something there so every year since then we’ve made investments into making it bigger and better,” said Grace Eng Harper, vice president of special events for the Charlotte Knights.

The biggest investment came two years ago when the Knights opened a 10-lane snow tubing hill and a full-size public ice skating rink. The rink enabled the Knights to host the Checkers, a local minor league hockey team, for a regular season game last year. It was the first outdoor hockey game in Charlotte and at the time set an attendance record.

Not only does Light the Knights provide a fun seasonal activity and revenue for the park, according to the event planners, but it also spreads the Charlotte Knights name in one of the fastest-growing cities in America.

“It’s been an incredible growth for our business as this secondary season outside of baseball that’s allowed for our brand to be year-round for our fans and for the Charlotte market,” Eng Harper said.

Parkview Field will open Holiday Lights, a walk-through event featuring more than 1 million lights choreographed to seasonal music and train rides, on Nov. 14. Officials announced this week that tickets will go on sale Tuesday.

The first-time Fort Wayne event supports the TinCaps’ ongoing efforts to add events during the offseason such as holiday parties.

“It’s a great way to continue to get more families to come downtown,” said Jenn Sylvester, assistant director of corporate relations for the TinCaps. “There’s already a reason to come down and see all the other holiday lights, hopefully they can add this to their list of family traditions.”

Parkview Field expects 50,000 guests over the holiday season.

The TinCaps also drew inspiration from the Fireflies Lights event in Columbia, South Carolina. The Columbia Fireflies have found success with similar approaches to what the Charlotte Knights implemented.

It took more than two years of planning to figure out the logistics of the lighting for the event in Columbia and to find a lighting partner. The actual setup also took 15 to 18 people 25 days to arrange the 1 million lights. The display opened in 2022 at Segra Park in Columbia’s BullStreet district.

“The first year was a lot of learning how this all works,” said Brad Shank, president of the Columbia Fireflies.

After one year in operation, Shank and the Fireflies management realized there had to be more than just the lights to keep people coming back. In the following years, train rides, free crafts for kids, snow machines and visits with Santa and his sleigh were added.

“The biggest thing is finding those experiences – those things that are going to create memorable opportunities,” Shank said. “It is about creating an experience that’s more than just the lights.”

The lights are programmed differently each year, with choreographed displays keeping crowds engaged. The event attracted 18,000 people the first year and 30,000 the second with many of the same visitors returning.

Shank’s favorite part of the event is seeing people of all ages enjoy themselves.

“When I’m walking around on the concourse the coolest thing to see is the grandparents with their kids, with the grandkids and everybody’s together and everyone’s on the same level – feeling like a kid,” Shank said.

Shank believes Parkview’s Holiday Lights will also hit home with people, especially with the added effect of a colder climate and the possibility of snow.

“I think it will be a success,” Shank said.

The question is whether the event will compete with other light displays in Fort Wayne such as Blue Jacket’s drive-through Fantasy of Lights display in Franke Park that will operate from Nov. 18 through Dec. 31.

In 2023, about 30,000 vehicles, many with multiple guests, drove through the park to see 165 displays and more than 1.5 million lights.

This will be the 30th year for the event, the 10th under Blue Jacket’s ownership. Fantasy of Lights has more than 180 sponsors. They include Preferred Automotive Group, Partners 1st Federal Credit Union and Reusser Design as main sponsors.

All proceeds from the event support Blue Jacket’s programs to assist individuals facing barriers to employment. The event also employs 65 people, mostly Blue Jacket clients, for setup and operation. Among the four fundraisers Blue Jacket does per year, Fantasy of Lights is the most prominent.

Blue Jacket CEO Tony Hudson doesn’t think the new event at Parkview will affect the support for Blue Jacket’s event.

“We love that there is a walking option for people to enjoy light displays, especially downtown, and hosted by our city’s cherished ballpark,” Hudson said.

Sylvester, assistant director of corporate relations for the TinCaps, also believes the events will both be successful.

“The goal is definitely not to compete or take away from anything like the Fantasy of Lights at Franke Park,” Sylvester said. “It’s to add to people’s holiday calendars.”

Local event

Holiday Lights

What: A seasonally themed light display event at Parkview Field in downtown Fort Wayne. Attractions also include a train ride and appearances by “Johnny Claus.”

When: Open for 50 nights from Nov. 14 to Jan. 4

Tickets: Go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday and will be available through TinCaps.com and in person at The Orchard Team Store at Parkview Field, 1301 Ewing St.

Cost: $10 to attend in November and $12 in December. Groups of 20 or more will receive a discounted rate of $9 per person. Call 260-482-6400 to buy group tickets.

The home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps will offer a million reasons for folks to visit the downtown ballpark during the holidays.