Joy to the World lettering at G.E. Christmas display, 1957. Credit: Photo courtesy Cleveland Memory Project
With Thanksgiving a few days away, it’s time to start thinking about Christmas and the lights that go along with the season. And thankfully this year, GE’s annual Nela Park lighting display gets even bigger.

For the first time since 1958, visitors are allowed to roll through the middle of campus to take in recreations of vintage light displays. While the drive-through Nela Park action is only open to the public December 8, 15 and 22, the regular Noble Road display kicks off December 1, and will run nightly.

In the works for months, more than 500,000 light bulbs were used to make the displays a reality. Expect to see a replica of the National Tree, which GE has lit for the last 55 years in Washington, D.C, as well as holiday designs from as far back as the 1920s.

While you’re waiting for the festivities to begin, take a walk down memory lane with vintage Nela Park holiday lighting photos right here.

This article appears in Nov 15-21, 2017.

One reply on “Nela Park Holiday Lighting Spectacular Gets Even Brighter This Season”

  1. To bad GE has its Lamp Division, headquartered @ NELA Park, on the sales block.

    The almost certain loss of all those white-collar jobs, and NELA Park’s corporate property taxes, is going to be the death blow to East Cleveland’s property tax base, and further erode city services there.

    This is most likely is one of the final years for this kind of Holiday Lighting displays in Cleveland.

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