Friday, November 29, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Growing Forest

Opportunity Village's Holiday tradition gets bigger each year

Santa Claus and holiday decorations are back at Opportunity Village's annual Magical Forest event. REVIEW-JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

When Opportunity Village development director Linda Smith created the Magical Forest in 1992, she had no idea the holiday event would last, much less expand every year.

But that's exactly what the holiday event has done.

"Who knew?" Smith says. "This thing just reinvents itself each year. It has become an important holiday tradition each year. I didn't envision that 10 years ago. It's just mushroomed and mushroomed. It's such an awesome event. Guests and visitors tell us things they'd like to see in the Forest."

Stretching over 1 1/2 acres of land, the Magic Forest's theme this year is " 'Tis the Season of Magic" and features a Carousel Park with a colorful carousel and lights and Ye Olde Craft Cabin, a real log cabin with a craft fair inside.

In addition, there are more than 3 million lights, 15-foot candy canes, animated figures, two trains for riding around the displays, Santa's Gazebo with nightly visits by the bearded man from the North, the Magic Castle and a food court.

"Each time the companies who have become regulars step it up," Smith says.

Displays of gingerbread houses and wreaths are on view in the nearby Opportunity Village gym.

For those cold nights this time of year, propane heaters are scattered throughout the Forest.

Drawing more than 200,000 visitors annually, the Magical Forest began after Smith had the pine trees in front of Opportunity Village strung with lights.

Passers-by stopped to look and the idea for the current full-scale Magical Forest was born.

Free paved parking is available this year in the back of the Forest. The only entrance is at the rear, so it's a good idea not to park on the street at the front of the Opportunity Village building.

All proceeds from the forest benefit Opportunity Village. The Magical Forest is the facility's top money-maker each year.

Hundreds of groups and businesses donate time, money and material to support the event.

For instance, MGM Grand donated a huge rocking chair and Radio Flyer wagon, and the Meadows mall donated all of its displays from the past several years.

Tickets are $5 for children 12 and younger, and $7 for adults.

Passport tickets, good for unlimited train and carousel rides, are $10 for children and $12 for adults.