Lions walk makes for a Christmas tradition

THE NORTH ISLAND Christmas Walk features thousands of Christmas lights and hundreds of decorations for the 13th year in the row. A family strolls through the display on Sunday to get into the Christmas spirit. The walk is illuminated nightly 6-9 p.m. with extra activities on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

By: 
ERIC FISHER
Publisher

If you need to get into the spirit of the holidays, take a walk through Wilmington’s North Island Park.
That’s where the Wilmington Lions Club have strung thousands of lights and set up hundreds of Christmas characters along a path that loops through the park. The lights are turned on nightly (weather permitting) at 6 p.m. through Dec. 31.
It was a festive atmosphere Sunday with youngsters marveling at displays including Disney characters, whimsical animals, elves, ginger bread houses, Santa’s workshop, mechanical Santa and much more.
“There are so many lights we’ve lost count,” quipped Lion Mary Belter. “We’ve been adding more lights every year since we first started the walk in 2011, and we’ve switched many to LEDs to conserve electricity.”
The Lions are hoping for favorable weather on Saturday when extra activities will include trackless train rides from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., smores by a campfire and a 6:30 p.m. story read by Santa on the front porch of the Santa House. He’ll hold another reading night on Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
Santa has been in his house on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays but during the week he usually returns to the North Pole to make sure the elves have everything organized for his Christmas night trip.
On Dec. 16 it will be Minion Monday, sponsored by Wilmington Collision, and on Dec. 16 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. the Gemini Giant will be making a visit.
On Fridays and Saturdays the Lions have a pickle hunt so be on the lookout for how many pickles are included along the walk. On Dec. 28th it will be Spyder Saturday with a few spiders hidden among the displays.
“We’ve added more activities for kids like the hunts and a coloring contest. The more interaction we get with children the happier we all will be,” Belter commented.
Deadline for the coloring contest is Dec. 27 with entries due at the concession stand.
She said some people have made a tradition of walking the park on Christmas Eve. That’s why the Lions keep it lit up all night on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.
Belter noted that people don’t have to get out of their car if they don’t want, driver-through visitors can still see most of the display.
But walking the path is more exciting for youngsters and much of the thrill for Lions Clubs members is to watch families who stop to take Christmas photos and get a chance to visit with Santa.
The Lions log over 400 man hours setting up the display and then add weekend hours in the concession stand serving hot chocolate and selling hand crafted bird houses with the proceeds to assist the Lions in community projects like helping those with vision and hearing problems who can’t afford treatment.
There is donation box set up at the end of the walk with proceeds used for community projects and local nonprofit organizations.