SPRING VALLEY — Enchanted Village is back in San Diego for its third year, with modifications made to accommodate social-distancing guidelines.
The holiday extravaganza, typically a walk-through of the 8-acre grounds of Noah Homes in Spring Valley, is now a COVID-compliant drive-through experience.
More than 1,800 vehicles are expected to attend over six days, from Dec. 18-23. Limited tickets are available for various time slots between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. each night for $65 per vehicle.
Guests will begin the holiday adventure at Steele Canyon High School and then make their way to a winter wonderland with a drive-through candy cane light tunnel, more than 100,000 lights, an 18-foot musical Christmas tree, socially-distant interactions with characters like Buddy the Elf, and themed zones such as Candyland and Holiday Under the Sea.
“Enchanted Village is quickly becoming a family tradition and we couldn’t stop now,” said Molly Nocon, CEO of Noah Homes, a nonprofit since 1983 dedicated to providing housing, services and advocacy to adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities such as autism and Down syndrome.
“This is a perfect way to ensure that people can safely partake in the joy of the sea- son and escape from everything else going on,” said Nocon. “Even though it’s not how we normally do it, we are very blessed to have the amount of space that we do, which allows us to be flexible in times like these.”
The modifications do not take away from the Christmas spirit. As a twist on the traditional family photo with Santa, Noah Homes is partnering with SoCal Green Screen to take photos of guests in their car and add a digital Santa over the customized photo. Guests can also enjoy holiday scents and themed music throughout the drive.
“This holiday event brings the spirit of the holidays to heart and is a family favorite each year. I am so very excited that we are able to pivot to the drive-through Enchanted Village and not let 2020 take this sensational event away from us and the community of San Diego,” said Debra Elwell, a member of the Enchanted Village volunteer steering committee. “With so many events getting canceled, I am happy I can assist to make this a safe and fun event for everyone and look forward to sharing it with family and friends around San Diego.”
Tickets can be purchased online at www.EnchantedVillage.org. All proceeds from the event benefit the residents of Noah Homes.
