Grand Opening of Global Winter Wonderland in California’s Great America Parking Lot, Santa Clara
Santa Claus and the 49ers Gold Rush Girls lead the parade to Grand Opening of Global Winter Wonderland
California’s Great America Parking Lot, Santa Clara
November 25 – January 2, 2012
Travel the World this holiday season at U.S. Premiere of Traditional Chinese Lantern Festival with Spectacular Lanterns, Live Entertainment, and International Cuisine
23 November 2011 – Santa Clara, CA: Ho! Ho! Ho! The holidays are here, and Global Winter Wonderland invites you to kick them off with an official parade and lighting ceremony led by Santa Claus and the 49er Gold Rush Girls! On Friday, November 25, the Merry Old Elf with his escort of cheerleaders will board the South Bay’s VTA light rail for transport to the magical site of Global Winter Wonderland (www.globalwonderland.org) on Great America Parkway in Santa Clara. From November 25 – January 2, gigantic illuminated lanterns depicting the world’s greatest architectural achievements — such as the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, Chichen Itza, and the Golden Gate Bridge — will light up the sky from the parking lot adjacent to California’s Great America in Santa Clara. Covering more than nine acres, the festival showcases hundreds of amazing lantern displays, some of them more than 50-feet tall and nearly 100-feet wide, all lit by 30,000 energy-efficient lightbulbs. The centerpiece of Global Winter Wonderland is a 33-foot tall Christmas Tree Lantern. The tree and all the lanterns will be lit with Santa’s arrival on Friday, November 25, the day after Thanksgiving. Advance tickets can be ordered online at www.globalwonderland.org or by phone at 1 (888) 768-7469.
On Friday, November 25, at 1:30pm Santa Claus and the 49er Gold Rush Girls will board the VTA Light Rail at the Campbell/Winchester station, making 24 stops along the way, arriving at the Great America/Tasman Station in Santa Clara at 2:45pm, across from Global Winter Wonderland. At 3:00pm Santa and the Gold Rush Girls will lead the parade to Global Winter Wonderland accompanied by local school children and a traditional Chinese Lion Dance. Then at sunset history will be made when the Consul General of The People’s Republic of China, Gao Zhansheng, pushes the button to light up the lanterns throughout the Festival Grounds.
In additional to iconic landmarks, highlights of Global Winter Wonderland include the Holiday Village and Chinatown exhibit, featuring more than 40 eco-friendly lanterns made from recycled materials such as beverage cans, bottle caps, CDs, porcelain dishes and metal flatware, designed by the same team of engineers who built lanterns for the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. Other features include a dinosaur maze, carnival games, international cuisine, arts and crafts, live entertainment, and celebrations of holiday traditions from around the world.
Created by the International Culture Exchange Group, the U.S. debut of Global Winter Wonderland offers a fun and entertaining opportunity to experience the rich cultures and holiday traditions of the world, right here in California. Major sponsors of this family holiday event include the San Francisco 49ers and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).
Located in the parking lot adjacent to Great America (4701 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA), Global Winter Wonderland is open weekends beginning Friday, November 25, from 4pm to 11pm, and open daily from December 16 through January 2. Dates and hours of operation are:
• Friday through Sunday, November 25–27, December 2–4, and December 9–11, 4 pm to 11 pm.
• Daily from Friday, December 16, through Monday, January 2; Friday–Saturday, 4 pm to 11 pm, Sunday–Thursday, 4 pm to 10 pm.
Admission at the gate is $12 for adults (13-61); $10 for children (4-12) and Seniors (62+); children 3 and under are admitted free. Save money and purchase tickets online at www.globalwonderland.org or by phone at 1-(888) 768-7469.