Who would have thought that an area farm well-known for its Monster Mash Scream Park created back in 1991, and still going strong, would turn its attention to Christmas?
That is exactly what McCray’s Farm in South Hadley did last year and it is back again for a second season, establishing a new tradition for families looking for novel ways to celebrate the holiday.
Minus the scares of their Halloween event, McCray’s Holiday Light Stroll provides a spirited walk through the farmland – anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes depending on how fast you walk and how many times you stop to admire a particular display and take photographs – all lit up and decorated for the holidays. Even Santa is there on weekend nights to add to all the fun.
“It’s the ‘wow’ factor to actually walk through a winter wonderland of brightly shining LED lights, some 500,000 of them, that contributed to our success last year. It was a lot of hard work setting it up, but we got good reviews which made it all worthwhile. We’re happy to be able to provide a place for families to enjoy and create memories,” said Matthew Murdza, assistant organizer of the stroll and longtime friend of Steve McCray.
“It was an idea that my dad had been kicking around for a while. He and my cousin went to see a similar light stroll at a farm in Maine, and that gave him the inspiration to move forward with the idea,” added Steve McCray.
When asked how many people it takes to set up the holiday attraction, McCray said, “Not enough.”
“We had less than three weeks to get everything ready for our opening on November 24. We lost some extra time because our haunted attraction was extended this year until after Halloween to make up for lost days because of the weather. We have a little over 20 people helping to get everything ready in time,” he said.
Sliding penguins are featured in the mini-golf section of the holiday light walkthrough at McCray’s Farm in South Hadley. (Dave Roback photo)
There is plenty to see and be dazzled by on your stroll at the farm on 55 Alvord St. There are snowmen, a globe with Santa and his sleigh flying over it, reindeer, elves, a motion display of a cow jumping over the moon, interactive pots that change colors when you touch them, a tribute to the movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” city scapes, the farm’s mini-golf course strung up in lights, a lover’s lane in honor of Valentine’s Day, tractors bathed in lights because they are a working farm, a tunnel you can walk under with moving smart lights, displays for sports fans including the Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, and so much more to ogle. Also, trees and bushes on the property are lit up along with the building used as their Halloween haunted house, which you can walk through and is decorated half for Halloween and half for Christmas.
McCray’s Farm Country Creamery will be open during the Holiday Light Stroll offering a limited selection of their ice creams as well as hot dogs, hamburgers, hot chocolate and other treats. For those old enough to imbibe, there is a trailer selling beer, wine and sangria, and spiked hot chocolate and cider.
The stroll is open through Dec. 31, but closed on Christmas. Tickets are sold in 15- minute time blocks beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 7:45 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and Sunday, extended on Friday and Saturday until 8:45 p.m.
Tickets are $15 per person. Children age 2 and younger are free.
The farm’s website highly recommends placing online ticket orders to guarantee your reservation, but walk-ins are welcome if there are more tickets available for a particular time block.
The site also suggests wearing proper footwear.
“Arriving with your brand-new pair of white Air Jordans is not the way to go. The path can become muddy because of the weather and the fact that most of the path is outdoors,” states the website.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the farm’s website.
