Tourism raises Holiday Lights to $10 per car to offset last year's $11,600 loss

The price of admission to the annual Holiday Lights fair, which includes all of the weekend activities and live entertainment in the Exhibition Hall, has gone from $8 per car last year to $10 this year.

With that said, it's still southern Illinois' best holiday ticket and a great value for families.

Holiday Lights by the Numbers

The reasons are simple: All told, the popular show cost Du Quoin Tourism $54,000 to produce last year. An ice storm forced the cancellation of all second weekend events, which resulted in lost revenue of $11,600. The 2012 show was even more expensive, a whopping $68,000 to produce.

Du Quoin Tourism director Judy Smid explains: It's an expensive show to host and maintain. Upgrades and maintenance of displays, preparation of the Exhibition Hall and live entertainment just cost more.

"The entertainment will cost us $2,250, We have fewer volunteers so we have to pay our help to set up and to take care of tickets at the front gate. We have rental of the Exhibition Hall and there is a cleanup fee when we're done. We have to give the (Du Quoin State) fair a percentage of the gate. Advertising Holiday Lights on television, radio and the newspaper costs us between $17,000 and $18,000," Smid explained.

If you think $10 is high, places like Branson, Mo. charge up to $21 per person for their light trail.

The Du Quoin light trail opened Thanksgiving Day and attendance has been good.

The Exhibition Hall opens this weekend with nearly 50 vendors and live music performances by the Du Quoin High School band Friday night, performances by Chandra Gilliam and David Fred Saturday night and the Pinckneyville High School jazz band and chorus on Sunday.

There are a lot of holiday gifts to buy and a lot of holiday decorating ideas to be shared in the Exhibition Hall. There is the kids activity corner, free rides on the Mathis Family Holiday Express train and a lot of great food including Joanie's hot cinnamon rolls.

The holiday beauty of the grounds comes alive in a three-mile light trail.

You won't be disappointed.