Vehicle Free Route Starts Nov. 25 and Runs Every Night through Dec. 8
(Los Angeles) – In keeping with the City’s goal of becoming the “greenest big city in the US,” the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is proud to announce the expanded “vehicle free and walking only” nights, as part of the 13th Annual Holiday Light Festival. Starting November 25 guests can visit the festival in a “car free” environment.
Beginning Tuesday, November 25th from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. through Sunday, December 7th, the festival will be for pedestrians only. Visitors can park at the L.A. Zoo parking lot on the north side of the festival. Or they can park at the Merry-Go-Round and adjacent lots on the south side of the festival route. Parking is on a first come, first served basis. Shuttles will be available to transport guests from the south parking lots to the route entrance. Shuttle stop signs will be posted.
Visitors to the “walking only” nights are encouraged to wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes, as the entire festival route is one-mile in length each way and it can get chilly in the park. It is estimated that a “walking only” visit will take guests about 90 minutes, so visitors are encouraged to arrive early to ensure parking availability and to enjoy the complete festival. Visitors should arrive before 8:30 p.m. to ensure that the entire festival route can be walked prior to the 10:00 p.m. closing.
“I love seeing people walk through the Holiday Light Festival in Griffith Park. It is a healthy, fun way for Angelenos to enjoy this wonderful event. It’s good for the environment, good for the park and great for everyone who participates,” said Councilmember Tom LaBonge of the 4th District.
Another way that the festival has “gone green” is that all of the festival lighting has been converted to energy saving Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. This change will utilize only 1/3 the energy of traditional light bulbs. In addition, the Holiday Light Festival is being powered by a clean, energy fuel cell.
“The LADWP Holiday Light Festival brings so much enjoyment to so many people. Between the LADWP and our departments of recreation and parks and transportation, the City proves that it can put on a free, public event without equal anywhere,” said Lee K. Alpert, president, Board of Water and Power Commissioners.
“It is a privilege for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to sponsor this annual tradition; we invite all Angelenos to come and enjoy the holiday lights, and we thank all those who worked so tirelessly to make this year’s festival a reality,” said LADWP CEO and General Manager David Nahai.
On December 8th, the festival returns to its regular schedule of vehicles and walking. Free shuttles will also be available and will run each evening from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. December 12 through December 30. Shuttles depart and return from the parking lot of the L.A. Zoo. Guests may also walk the one-mile each way route on the walking path. Signing will indicate the shuttle stop location.
The festival features a one-mile section of Crystal Springs Drive with displays of more than one million lights that will be visited by more than 500,000 people during the festival.
As part of the festival’s tradition, visitors can support the Los Angeles City Fire Department Spark of Love Toy Drive to benefit less fortunate children throughout Los Angeles. Visitors to the festival are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped gift and brighten the holiday season for a child. Bins will be available at the festival entrance. For more information log on to www.dwplightfestival.com or call the information line at (213) 367-1255.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation’s largest municipal utility, was established more than 100 years ago to provide reliable water and electricity to the city’s residents and businesses, serves more than 3.9 million people in Los Angeles. For more information about the LADWP, log on to www.ladwp.com and for the Holiday Light Festival, visit www.dwplightfestival.com.
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Contact: Kim Hughes, Public Affairs
(213) 367-4417 ● Cell (213) 792-9599
Email: Kimberley.Hughes@ladwp.com
