Hilton Head Island’s Dove St. Festival of Lights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 31, 2010 --
Hilton Head, South Carolina- On a small street bordering the ocean on Hilton Head Island SC, a tradition was born 20 years ago. It started with a string of lights and now involves more than 50 households. Tens of thousands of people visit the attraction annually and a generation of children has grown up driving or walking through the displays with more than 100,000 lights. You can still see it this year nightly from sunset to 11pm, December 6, 2010 through January 3, 2011.

The event is The Dove Street Festival of Lights. It’s an artistic creation of tiny light strings that squirrel their way through gnarled oak branches hovering over the street only to bury themselves in the bushes below. When the big trees are lit up the effect is a tunnel of multi colored holiday bliss. A home-grown technique of "swagging" by arranging the lights in large loops creates a fairy tale atmosphere as the display seems to dance high above the Spanish moss to the delight of passersby.

It benefits a local social services organization known for its charitable assistance throughout the area. Donations of money, food and toys are collected by a dedicated and hard-working band of merry elves who volunteer at the donation drop-off point. Countless numbers of family, friends, organizations and businesses put the lights up, collect donations, arrange for entertainment (including caroling), and take the lights down in January.

However, like many events that start small and grow over the years, it now requires more resources than this small neighborhood can provide to organize, finance, and manage. Consequently, this will be the last year for the Festival in its present form.

Just like a child who spends hours building a sand castle only to watch it disappear with the tide, the organizers have created an ever changing tableau of holiday spirit and fun that disappears when January arrives. In 2011 the Festival faces an uncertain future, but for the holidays of 2010, the lights will burn brightly and the spirit will thrive. Plan a visit to enjoy the memory of a “light time”.

For more information visit www.DoveStreetLights.com

More information can be found online at http://treyburley.com/

charity events     charity social service     dove st festival of lights  christmas lights     hilton head     holiday decorations     sc