Global Winter Wonderland takes over the Tulare County Fairgrounds

TULARE, Calif. (KFSN) -- The city of Tulare is getting a bright dose of the holiday spirit.

Santa travels the world in one night and soon so can you at the Global Winter Wonderland. "You come in and you are visiting over 40 landmarks, so you get to travel to seven countries in one magical night, you travel the world and each of them has its own story behind it," said Marlyn Alvina, Global Winter Wonderland.

The Tulare County Fairgrounds are being transformed into an enchanting land. Bright colors and lights fill the grounds. Each display features a country, culture or theme. Alvina, who is with the group putting this on, said the founder was inspired to bring this idea to America. "She was in China and witnessed a similar event and decided to bring it to the U.S. to bridge all gaps between different cultures."

In total, 51 colorful sculptures and lanterns will fill the display. "There are millions of LED lights that go into it, as well as tons and tons of steel, as well as hundreds of thousands of silk that goes into making each lantern, created by all of our artisans," Alvina explained.

One of the displays- King Tut- is made of recycled materials.

In addition to the light displays, live entertainment and food will also be a part of the event. Organizers believe the Winter Wonderland will be a draw for the South Valley. "We're hoping people will travel all over from the central coast-- from Fresno to Bakersfield-- because this is something that has never been here before and we're hoping it's a huge success," said Nancy Lockwood, Winter Wonderland spokesperson.

Organizers say when the show opens it will be one of the largest light displays in the world.

Valley residents will have a chance to visit the north pole and beyond. The Global Winter Wonderland kicks off November 21 and runs until January 3.

Tickets:

Adults (ages 13-61) $16

Seniors (ages 62+) $12

Children (ages 4-12) $12

For more information, visit www.globalwonderland.com