Town of Farragut’s annual Countdown to Light the Park

  • Volunteer Debbie Pinchok - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • Volunteers April Tomlin, left, and Beth Gray - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • From left, JR Newman, Mary Newman with Kaileighann, Kaileighann’s mom (JR & Mary’s daughter-in-law), Marissa Newman, and Marissa’s brother-in-law, Gavin Newman. - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • From left, Addison Pence, 12, with Mrs. Claus/Town Recorder Allison Myers and Ruth Burnette, 10 - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • Cousins Colton Fox, left, and Lincoln Lee, both 7 - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • Blakely Carrico, 3 - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • Jennifer and Nick Acord with children, Jackson, 2, left, and Alexis, 5 - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • Jim and Carolyn Caldwell celebrated their 36th anniversary Monday - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • Charlotte Barker, 21 months, and big brother, Abram Barker, 3 - Photos by Tammy Cheek

  • Sisters, Roselee Elsworth, 9, and Raeanne Elsworth, 13 - Photos by Tammy Cheek

Hundreds of families gathered Monday evening, Nov. 20, for Town of Farragut’s annual Countdown to Light the Park in Founders Park at Campbell Station, to enjoy musical entertainment and holiday snacks before Santa switched on more than 110,000 lights in all sorts of colors and configurations.

“Public Works (Department workers) have been at it since mid-September putting them up,” Farragut Parks and Recreation director Ron Oestreich said. Visit Farragut and Parks and Recreation Department organized the event.

The park lights, which extend north to Mayor Ralph McGill Plaza and Campbell Station Inn, will illuminate starting at dusk each evening through Wednesday, Jan. 3.

Meanwhile, there will be food trucks and activities at Founders Park until Monday, Jan. 1, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (lights remain on those days).

Even more was in store Monday evening, as volunteers provided a fire pit with S’mores, cookies and hot chocolate, crafts, ornaments to decorate, games and a scavenger hunt.

Emceed by former WBIR-TV morning meteorologist Mike Witcher, Countdown culminated as Mayor Ron Williams helped Santa flip the light switch after entertainers performed. Southern Clogging Company joined singers Mike Snodgrass (guitar) and Sara Jean (violin), as well as harpist Joanna Seiber and musician/pianist Laura Gunsauls.

With multi-colored lights aglow in so many shapes, children played inside the lighted trees, tunnels and around candy canes and watched the lights “drop” from the trees.