Madison Co. to present Christmas light drive-thru display at Pugh Bourne Park

Madison Countians and those from surrounding counties who've missed having a big Christmas light display to look at in Jackson in the last couple of years are getting a new alternative this year, and they're already making plans about how to be bigger and better next year and years afterward.

Madison County Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Martin discussed his plan for the lights.

"Last year we had a few displays set up at the courthouse," Martin said. "I'd just gotten here a couple months before and wanted to jump into this, and Mayor (A.J.) Massey allowed me to put some displays on the courthouse lawn.

"This year, our initial plans are to move all of our lights to Pugh Bourne Park in Oakfield."

Martin's plan all along has been to put together a drive-through Christmas light display in which viewers would pay an admission fee, and the money be split between the parks and rec department and a charity so that people are doing good for others, helping supply lights for later years and looking at lights this year.

"I admit the lights we'll have this year are a big modest by my standards," Martin said. "But hopefully, those who come will see what we're doing and want to help us do more. And next year we'll get to really go wild putting lights up."

In the past few weeks, Martin has had Hale Electric come by the park to install more infrastructure to allow for lights to be set up.

Now that's done, and displays are being put up this week to begin having tours on Nov. 29, the Friday after Thanksgiving.

"We'll have them up five weeks from Nov. 29 until Jan. 3," Martin said. "Each week, we'll have a different charity or non-profit involved, and they'll have people helping us man the lights with the admission and other things.

"And that week, all the money we take in, half of the money will go to that week's charity, and the other half, I'll put back in the Christmas light's fund."

Martin had some of the displays at the courthouse last year sponsored by local businesses, and he said any business interested in sponsoring any displays this year can reach out to him.

"We've got a display with a hippopotamus popping out of a box, another a 10- or 15-feet-tall T-Rex and another with a sea monster," Martin said. "So there will be some different things going on at this display.

"And I hope that anyone who came to Jackson for the Shadrach's show that was at the ballpark for a few years will give this a look this year and next year because I'm proud of what we have this year, but we've got bigger plans for next year."

Martin said admission to the lights is $10 per car. Lights will be open from 5:30 until 9 p.m. seven nights per week until Jan. 3. The only exception is lights will not be on on Christmas night.

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news