LEBANON, Ohio — Tri-State residents won't be able to enjoy a decades-old holiday display this winter.
Holiday In Lights in Lebanon is taking a "pause" in 2023 due to unsustainable increased costs, organizers announced Friday on their website and social media.
"A nearly fourfold increase in the cost of providing electricity for the lights has made the current way of doing things unsustainable," organizers wrote. "After serious consideration, we have decided to pause the 2023 Holiday in Lights Show and 5K Run/Walk to give both the Alleen Company and Warren County Park District the opportunity to re-evaluate plans moving forward."
The drive-through lights event, which has been happening for 33 years, features more than 1 million lights and 250 light displays showing everything from Santa Claus to every animal on Noah's Ark, according to its website.
The pause comes just a year after the lights show moved from Sharon Woods to Warren County's Armco Park.
In August 2022, the Great Parks of Hamilton County announced they were no longer going to host the event as they planned to focus on nature-based experiences rather than those that occur while in a vehicle. In September 2022, Holiday In Lights organizers announced the event would be moved to Armco Park.
While Holiday In Lights is taking a pause in 2023, organizers said that "everyone agreed this is a great partnership and that the new location has great potential."
Holiday In Lights organizers did not say how they're going to work with the Warren County Park District to resolve the cost issues for the future.
"This was a difficult decision since we know this has been a holiday tradition for 33 years and we appreciate your understanding at this time," organizers said.
