Christmas Festival of Lights
Celebrating Our 22nd Anniversary in 2009

November 27th to December 30th, 2009

Gates Open 5:00 to 9:30 PM • Grounds Close at 10:00 PM
Closed Christmas Day

$7.50 General Admission / $3.00 Children ages 3-12
children age 2 and under free

Welcoming over 50,000 visitors annually, this ecumenical lighting and music festival is quite possibly the largest Christmas choral festival of its kind in the world. The Christmas Festival of Lights features nearly  150 music concerts performed in The Grotto's 500-seat chapel, known for its cathedral quality acoustics (Performance times: [5:15], 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00). Many of the region's finest school, church, and civic choirs - comprised of over 6,000 singers and musicians - give their gift of music during The Grotto's annual celebration. Hand-puppet shows (Showtimes: 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00), a live animal petting zoo, and a dramatic living-history theater program (6:20, 7:20, 8:20, 9:20) complete the festival's family activities, popular with both young and old.

Volunteers and staff begin working on the festival in early October installing lights, displays and entertainment areas. The finished presentation features over half a million lights, with narrated fiber-optic displays, animated displays and other dramatic depiction's of the story of the birth of Christ.

The Grotto's Christmas Festival of Lights is a walk-through event. Free parking is available. While all entertainment areas are fully tented and all concerts are performed indoors, visitors and volunteers should dress for the weather, including warm rubber soled shoes. Nightly temperatures are typically in the mid- to upper forties during festival hours. The average visitor's stay lasts approximately 75 to 90 minutes. While the festival is fully accessible to those with disabilities,

Seasonal food and beverages are available, as well as Christmas shopping opportunities (with festival admission) in The Grotto Christian Gift Shop and Book Store.

Advance tickets are available mid-November at The Grotto Gift Shop. Tickets are also available nightly during the festival at the ticket booth. Discounts are available for group tours of 15 or more arriving by BUS with advance reservations only. Reservations are made by calling The Grotto at 254-7371.

Visitors to the festival are invited to bring a gift of baby food with them to share with families in need through the services of SnowCap. This Community Action Program benefits many people in our area. SnowCap runs several food and clothing programs for low-income residents of the Mid-County area. These programs have served over 4,000 different families in the last year. This translates to over 65,000 visits for various services. These programs include distribution of food boxes, produce distribution on Tuesdays, a co-op-type program called Community Basket, and a community garden, as well as many more. For more information on SnowCap, go to their webpage at:  www.snowcap.org

Nearly 900 volunteers help staff this ecumenical Christmas celebration. Shifts are typically three hours long and both outdoor and indoor positions are available.

For volunteer information, please call the Festival Volunteer coordinator at 261-2433.

Plan your trip at www.trimet.org

The Christmas Festival of Lights' hotline is 503-261-2400 for up-to-date information and schedules.

If you have a choir interested in performing at the festival please call 503-261-2442.