GAINES CHARTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- If you live in southern Kent County or in northern Allegan or Barry counties - you don't have to drive north of Grand Rapids to check out a holiday light display.
Christmas at Everette's Gardens has become a family viewing tradition for many people in Gaines Township. It's located at the Everett Gardens nursery at 240 84th St. SE, across from Brewer Park.
The drive-thru is a half mile long and only open for up-close views each Friday and Saturday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
There are dozens of handmade displays of traditional holiday figures.
“Snoopy, the Grinch, and Charlie Brown are a few of them,” said Kayla VerWoert, marketing manager for Everett’s Landscaping. “We have an elf workshop, basically.”
Plus displays that reflect what Verwoert said is the true meaning of Christmas, “We have all of our more Christ-centered themes, with the Story of the Three Christmas trees, a nativity scene, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and an Advent calendar,” she said.
The annual Christmas at Everett’s Gardens drive-thru opened November 21 and runs through December 27. As mentioned, the nighttime display runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. each Friday and Saturday until the end of November. In December, it will be open during those same hours, but also on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, except for December 25.
“Last year on our first weekend, we had a little over 300 cars come through,” VerWoert said.
The cost is $10 per vehicle to take the approximately 10-minute trip through the course.
Everett Gardens, the section where you can buy a tree, is open Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are wreaths and other greenery available for sale.
###
Photo: All photos by James Gemmell