Winter Wonderlands Can Run Up Lighting Bills– But They Don’t Have To

Even as temperatures drop, outdoor festivals to celebrate that holidays still overtake many towns throughout [city] and the rest of the country. These events ring in holidays with parades, contests, concerts, outdoor exhibitions and other fun, family friendly activities. They welcome the cooler temperatures and sometimes snowfalls– even at night.

Lighting Up The Cold Nights

One of the largest obstacles to running a winter, nighttime festival in [city] is lighting the event without squandering all of the proceeds on power bills. The cost of running traditional, commercial lights that are designed to brighten up fields and outdoor venues can be substantial.

WinterFest In The Smokies

The cities and towns throughout the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee come together to host the annual Smoky Mountain Winterfest. They welcome people from throughout the region to come and view spectacular displays of Christmas cheer and holiday fun. The price tag for the communities as a whole, however, ran up more than $32,000 to run just the holiday lights and extra illumination for the different events. The vast expanse and wide territory that the related activities cover mean that the bill adds up quickly as simultaneous events take place throughout the interconnected festival. Their solution to the ongoing problem is an excellent example for [city] to follow.

Changing Out Old Christmas Lights For Beautiful New Twinklers

Sevier County in Tennessee opted to switch from old lighting fixtures to new, energy efficient LED alternatives for everything from the big fixtures that light outdoor locations to the smaller options like Christmas decorations and twinkling lights. The adjustment in total cost the county $1.2 million, but the change will pay off all year long. While the Christmas lights may be stored for much of the year, the rest of the lighting elements will remain and offer a return on investment during other seasons.

The Winterfest savings are expected to be huge, especially if you consider that the City of Gatlinburg, Tennessee has already reported more than a 75 percent drop in lighting bills since the new fixtures were installed. City officials indicated that previous lighting bills for the city at this time would top more than $68,000. Now, they’re less than $10,000. That’s a huge difference for taxpayers, and it has provided more funds for the towns to invest in the events. As a result, attendance is higher as people come out in larger groups to enjoy what Winterfest has to offer from all areas of the Smoky Mountains.

Safer For The Environment And People

One of the most valuable advantages of the switch to LED lights, beyond the inherent cost savings, is the safety factor that has increased substantially. LED bulbs do not get as hot as traditional, incandescent alternatives, and that means that officials do not have to worry about people getting burned on the bulbs regardless of where they are placed. Additionally, the bulbs are less likely to shatter in the way that older options did, and that means that they are easier to store. Maintenance teams will not run in to issues with burst bulbs and broken glass that can be dangerous when pulling items out of storage. Instead, they can put the long-lasting bulbs up for the last two months of the year and then store them safely. The options are also so long lasting that there’s a chance that when the groundskeeper’s grandchildren are old enough to maintain the grounds for Winterfest, the same holiday bulbs will be still in operation.

New Possibilities For [city] Holiday Displays

Sevier County unlocked the secret to running an efficient and cost-effective lighting display without turning the cost over to taxpayers. LED lighting will save money for the holidays and cut bills for the rest of the year. For more information on how your local government can implement LED lighting for events and facilities, please don’t hesitate to contact your [city] EEPros Lighting specialist.