By Jalyn Mayer, December 20, 2019
The Family behind Houston's Magical Winter Lights has gained national attention through their recent victory on ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight", winning the grand prize of $50,000 and the 'Light Fight Trophy'. With 150 staff members and performers hand-selected from China, the local light festival beat out competitors from across the nation.
Magical Winter Lights was created by Yusi An and her family five years ago. Since originally produced at Sam Houston Race Park, the event has moved to Gulf Greyhound Park and has increased to 20 acres of lanterns, carnival rides, and 6 million lights.
The family behind this incredible event had no previous tech or production background, stating that they, "learned everything on the go". Five years into this venture, their enthusiasm and dedication have been key to their success: "It's the kind of you need to get in because you are passionate about it, not because there is a huge profit in it".
The event's lights consist of "handmade Chinese lanterns" which are a testament to the family's own cultural background. The city of LaMarque, where the festival is located, is very supportive of this venture and "has seen some positive economic impact from the exposure the event gave them, especially from the national TV show"said An.
However, being located so close to the coast does have its drawbacks in the form of high winds in the winter which can damage the lanterns. Luckily, the family states that everything can be "repaired pretty quickly".
Magical Winter Lights is open now through January 5th, 2020, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Tickets are $22 for adults, $13 for children and seniors, and free for children under the age of 3.
For more information on this event, please visit magicalwinterlights.com.
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