Gatlinburg Holiday Light Show Cuts Energy Use by 95 Percent

This year, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, perched on the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is adding some green to its annual Gatlinburg Winter MagicTM holiday display. Making an early New Year’s resolution to be more sustainable, the city converted the display’s 3 million holiday lights from incandescent bulbs to LEDs (light emitting diodes), thus reducing energy costs for the event by approximately 95 percent. Each year, the city’s 3,600 residents welcome more than 12 million travelers. Although visitation peaks during the summer months, tourism officials estimate that the city’s Smoky Mountain Winterfest celebration draws 1 million visitors during its annual three-month run. The main draw is the free holiday lights display, which features images of traditional mountain landscapes, indigenous wildlife, and colorful winter scenes. “This year, Gatlinburg will be able fund the entire 120 days of the holiday lights display for what it used to cost to light the display for three days,” said Jim Davis, Public Relations Coordinator for the Gatlinburg Department of Tourism. For example, the city will spend $33 this season to light the 114 LED snowflakes mounted on the streetlights throughout Gatlinburg. In comparison, last year’s snowflakes, which used incandescent bulbs, incurred a hefty $900 in electricity charges! In addition to the Gatlinburg Winter MagicTM lights, other Smoky Mountain Winterfest events include a holiday craft show, a New Year's Ball Drop and a guided trolley tour of the light displays. For more information, visit www.gatlinburg.com.