Kids look out the backseat window of a car at the Borst Park Christmas Lights on last year in Centralia.
Cars line up to drive through the Borst Park Christmas Lights last year in Centralia.
The eighth-annual Borst Park Drive-Thru Light Display opens for business Friday evening and runs from 5-9 p.m. daily through Christmas Day. For a fee of $5, cars can drive through the loop featuring dozens of bright holiday scenes, decorations and messages of holiday cheer. The fee goes up to $10 for small buses and $15 for larger ones.
Sponsored by the City of Centralia, the yearly attraction brings together groups ranging from the Centralia College baseball team to area churches that volunteer their time and resources. Centralia Mayor Lee Coumbs has helped spearhead the project from the beginning and considers it to be something the whole town can take pride in.
“People bring their guests from out of town to see it,” Coumbs said. “Others go through it three or four times each year. This is just about the joy of people, especially kids, who like the displays and the chance to donate proceeds to groups in the community.”
Coumbs leads a crew of people who install the lights lining the road through the park. City parks department workers are responsible for the larger, animated lights.
A food drive benefitting the Lewis County Gospel Mission and Gather Church in Centralia will take place at the entrance on the far end of Borst Avenue; the driving route is the reverse of normal traffic through the park. Ceramic snowmen will be handed out hourly as surprise gifts.
The drive takes about 20 minutes on average, according to Coumbs. About 7,000 cars go through on an annual basis.
For more information, visit cityofcentralia.com
