1000 x 90

Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock Presents Its Annual Festival of Lights Open to the Public

On Friday, Nov. 29 at dusk, Chetola once again transformed into a magical winter wonderland as thousands of lights illuminate the resort and its grounds. All the familiar faces return — the fly fishing Rudolph, the old-fashioned ice skaters and our frozen family of snowmen who greet guests winding their way through the welcome gate. Thousands of people make the annual trek around the resort each year to enjoy this spectacular display, a labor of love courtesy of our Grounds Department, a talented crew that spends approximately 275 hours hanging lights and erecting each design. We hope you enjoy this year’s display!

Approximately thirty large scale illuminations light up Chetola each night running through the end of Blowing Rock Winterfest, January 24-27, 2019. As you drive around Chetola Lake, view glittering ice skaters, a Nativity scene, a colorful train, Rudolph’s “Holiday Catch”, and the brand-new display The Whimsical Willow Tree. Over 50 strands of lights hang from the lake-side tree allowing a magical stroll through the display.

“We welcome everyone to come through the Chetola property to see what we’re all about and check out the lights,” said Dalton Kilby, Marketing & Creative Design Manager at Chetola Resort, “You can also eat and dine with us at Chetola too, but we encourage everyone to come see the lights first and foremost! We have holiday cocktails, nightly dinner specials, live music every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night at the resort as well. Our bonfire nights are Friday and Saturday night, weather depending; those events are free and open to the public with free s’mores and a cash bar. You can just ride through Chetola in your car to see the light displays or hop out and see what we have to offer here at the resort. It’s totally up to visitors, whatever they want to do!”

Festival of lights is free and open to the public each night beginning at 5:45pm

Pub and Timberlake’s restaurant open nightly; live music Thursday-Saturday 6-9pm.

S’more bonfires Friday and Saturday night (weather depending)

Photos by Tara Diamond