Christmas Town: A Busch Gardens Celebration Opens November 26, 2010
This year, Busch Gardens is expanding the event into its Italy village and adding to the European-themed park’s Christmas Town offerings. Guests will experience the flair of a traditional Italian Christmas, featuring a golden color scheme, traditional Italian holiday fare and graceful angels as far as the eye can see. Guests will leave with a feeling of peace on earth as they walk among a million lights in the Italy village alone, increasing the park-wide Christmas bulb count to two million twinkling lights. At Ristorante della Piazza, chefs are busy preparing Italian holiday favorites like fresh pasta and Busch Gardens’ signature sauces. At Il Teatro di San Marco, guests can enjoy Miracles, Busch Gardens’ newest Christmas-themed production that will leave the audience believing anything is possible. Stop by Artisans of Italy after the show and watch as master painter Antonio Aprea demonstrates the delicate artistry of capodimonte on hand-crafted porcelain poinsettias and other works of floral art made exclusively for Busch Gardens.
“The addition of Italy to Busch Gardens’ Christmas Town lineup completes the park’s transformation into a holiday wonderland,” said Busch Gardens’ President Carl Lum. “Guests can now walk a complete loop around the park and experience all of Busch Gardens’ holiday offerings.”
Also new this year, guests can experience Christmas Town while relaxing 80 feet in the air aboard one of Busch Gardens’ high-flying gondolas. Flight of Lights offers breathtaking views of Christmas Town’s themed villages and showcases Busch Gardens’ holiday decorations.
Busch Gardens’ German village is home to the park’s newest KIDsiderate store. The Stocking Stop features pre-wrapped gifts that kids can purchase to surprise their friends and families on Christmas Day. Guests with discerning taste can peruse the wares on display from local artisans at Mistletoe Marketplace, Busch Gardens’ traditional outdoor German market.
Christmas Town also includes park favorites from last season, including the stage productions of the Christmas-themed Rejoice and Deck the Halls. Guests can enjoy a cup of the park’s signature peppermint fudge hot chocolate while visiting Santa in his North Pole workshop, then stroll over to Oktoberfest for O Tannenbaum, featuring the park’s iconic 50-foot, light-animated Christmas Tree.
Busch Gardens is extending its Christmas Town operation through New Year’s Eve. Christmas Town open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 3 – 10 p.m. starting Nov. 26, and will open every day except Christmas Day from Dec. 17 through Dec. 31. The park will close at 9 p.m. on Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 12 and on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Town admission tickets are available for $21.99. Guests with active Busch Gardens’ passes save 50 percent on Christmas Town tickets receive free parking and enjoy in-park discounts.
Event details are available on the new Christmas Town Web site at www.christmastown.com
Visit http://www.buschgardensnews.com/page/christmastown for broadcast-quality video and high-resolution images of Christmas Town: A Busch Gardens Celebration.
Busch Gardens Blog
Busch Gardens on Facebook
Busch Gardens on Twitter
