Ready to make the season bright
<p>Kami Glaspie, 5, waves to Santa after her reads off her name from the "Nice List" at the Santa's Workshop and Christmas Village section on the Journey to the North Pole cruise on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015 on Lake Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>More than 250 displays with more than 1.5 million lights can be seen on the Journey to the North Pole cruise, which begins Friday and runs through the Christmas season. The cruise beings at the Coeur d’Alene Resort, travels across Lake Coeur d’Alene to Santa’s Workshop, and back to the Resort.</p>
<p>The man of the night, Santa Claus, waves from his firetruck "sleigh" to the some 30,000 people lining Sherman Avenue at the holiday parade preceding the 29th Annual Coeur d'Alene Resort Holiday Light Show on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. More than 35 entries were in the parade, which begun at Sherman Avenue and 8th Street and ended at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.</p>
<p>Fireworks erupt over Lake Coeur d'Alene as tens of thousands watch from the shore on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Holiday Light Show.</p>
<p>Bundled up against the 20-degree Fahrenheit chill, Cameron Hirth, left, and Laeyla Brooks, both 3, hold light-up toys and wave at passing parade floats on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 at the annual holiday parade preceding the 29th Annual Coeur d'Alene Resort Holiday Light Show on Sherman Avenue in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Families gather underneath a fully lit-up tree as the Christmas tree atop the Hagadone Corporate Offices stands out against the night sky in the distance on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Holiday Light Show.</p>
<p>Halle Hatfield, 3, and her mother Drue smile as they watch the holiday "Cool Yule" parade floats move down Sherman Avenue on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015 in Coeur d'Alene before the Coeur d'Alene Resort Holiday Light Show.</p>
Coeur d’Alene is about to put on its Christmas glow.
The 2016 Coeur d’Alene Resort Holiday Light Show kicks off Friday, Nov. 25, with more than 30,000 spectators expected to attend.
The festivities begin at 5 p.m. with a parade down Sherman Avenue followed by the official lighting ceremony with fireworks presented by Duane and Lola Hagadone and their family.
Crowds will gather along the lakefront to sing carols and light candles.
In its 30th year, the light show has grown from a few lights decorating The Resort entrance to 250 displays and more than a million colorful lights. The Resort light show has appeared in USA Today’s list of the top 10 best Christmas displays in the nation.
The lights will shine Nov. 25 through Jan. 2, with Journey to the North Pole cruises departing nightly across the lake. Preview cruises, before the official lighting ceremony, will begin Friday, Nov. 18 and run through Nov. 23.
Organizers say this year’s show will bring back, the 60-foot-tall animated floating Christmas tree on Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Children will continue to delight as Santa reads their name from the nice list when the cruise boat visits his North Pole workshop. Plus, there will be a fireworks display at Santa’s workshop for all cruises each night.
Holiday cruise tickets cost $20.75/adults, $19.75/seniors, $6/children 6-12, 5 and under free.
To purchase tickets to the Journey to the North Pole Cruises call (855) 956-1977 or visit cdacruises.com. Resort dining and room packages are available.
“The Christmas Show,” a holiday performance presented by Ellen Travolta at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, will offer family, stories and singing Nov. 25 through Dec. 18. Tickets are on sale now at cdachristmas.com or by calling (866) 835-3025.