Christmas lights. Is it ever too early to talk about them? Yes, but here we are.
Enchant Christmas is billed as “the world’s largest holiday light event experience” and doubles down on that claim with a feature it calls the World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze. That illuminated labyrinth, and many more Christmas-y activities, will visit the Milwaukee area for the first time since its 2016 inception when it comes to Franklin Field at Ballpark Commons from Nov. 24 through Dec. 31.
The decision to bring the enchantment to our neck of the woods put us in exclusive company. Only four other cities will get the Enchant Christmas treatment this year: Las Vegas; Scottsdale, Ariz.; San Jose, Calif.; and St. Petersburg, Fla. That also makes us the only 2023 location with a realistic expectation to have actual snow on the ground for the experience.
“It is such an honor to be selected as one of only a handful of cities that will host this spectacular event,” said Michael Zimmerman, founder and CEO of ROC Ventures, which owns Ballpark Commons. “Enchant Christmas is going to be a remarkable holiday memory for all in attendance. It’s also a good chance for our local residents and businesses to show families from around the Midwest how we celebrate love and good cheer here in Milwaukee.”
The whole thing really is a rather involved affair, but let’s start with the World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze, which contains millions of the little twinklers. Not only that, but anyone willing to brave its pathways will find hidden surprises, festive characters and even storytelling elements as they wind their way through.
As for what else you’ll find:
- An ice-skating trail
- Live entertainment
- Interactive games
- Visits with Santa
- An artisan village
That last item includes a range of vendors providing visitors with the opportunity to enjoy holiday treats and pick up a gift or two (assuming they go before Christmas or don’t mind belated giving). According to the release, we can also expect something called a “lightbulb cocktail,” which merited a Google search that turned up the following:
Honestly, it all sounds very wonderful and magical and festive. I just find it really hard to get in that headspace considering we’re still trying to consistently crack the 70-degree mark. Organizers seem to have thought of that, however, via an early bird ticket offer that runs from now through June 25 and will get you general-admission tickets starting at $25. There are also special offers for groups of 10-25 people.
Head to the Enchant Christmas website to pick up tickets, find other useful information and shake your fist at photos of people enjoying the experience without layers upon layers of cold-weather clothing. If you happen to be a vendor interested in joining the artisan village, someone looking for seasonal employment or an influencer who can help promote the event, visit the “Get Involved” page of the website.
