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LIGHTS AND LEGENDS RETURNS WITH NEW BULBS

By Wes Clement/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Friday, November 13, 2009 12:37 AM CST

Workers preparing for the Nov. 17 opening of The Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends at Regional Park have replaced about 9,000 light bulbs over the past few weeks after flooding of Lake Langhoffer left many Christmas light displays underwater.

A 36-foot-tall, 32-foot-wide “Santa’s Castle” display stood tall Thursday morning as volunteer Cedric Graves turned the display’s lights on.

The display and others along the lake shore had been underwater following heavy October rains. After the water receded, the group had to wait until Monday for the ground to be dry enough to use machinery to stand the displays upright, Pine Bluff Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Greg Gustek said.

He said the light displays are thoroughly tested before opening day.

“We do this (test the lights) three times,” Gustek said. “We do a drive through and make sure everything works, then we’ll come back at night since you can’t see everything during the daytime.”

He said during the “night burns” he and others will pay close attention to the colors of the bulbs.

“We come by and make sure all the ambers look alike, all the blues look alike...” Gustek estimated 1,500-2,000 bulbs that are not the proper color will be replaced.

He said the team still faces a partial power outage at the park due to flooding of electrical equipment, and this year’s new light displays have not yet arrived.

“I have eight new ones coming,” Gustek said. “I just got an e-mail today. The company’s behind and they’re shipping them today...and I open Tuesday.”

The Enchanted Land has become larger each year, and has grown to about 150 displays, Gustek said earlier. The lights require the use of 22 power boxes located along the waterfront area, and enough electricity to power an average house is drawn from each box, Gustek said.

He credited Park Coordinator Will Smith with being a key player in facing this year’s weather challenges.

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