TIPP CITY — A new holiday tradition is coming to the Miami Valley at a popular wedding venue.
The venue in Miami County is being transformed into a winter wonderland.
Cedar Springs Pavilion is normally only open when it’s warmer outside. However, you will have to bundle up as the venue will be decked out in Christmas lights this season and for years to come.
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Lisa Brannon, owner of Cedar Springs Pavilion said, “I just can’t put into words. I can’t believe it’s happening. I still feel like I’m a guest walking around here.”
Brannon said she’s wanted to put lights up for five years.
“I knew it was a huge undertaking and I knew it was going to take a lot of work. I just kept thinking year ago ‘Oh, I’ll do next year, I’ll do it next year.’ This past year I applied for several grants. Luckily, I was awarded those grants so that kind of just motivated me to say ‘yes this is what I want to do.’ I’m ready to do it,” Brannon said.
She said she put the state and county money right back into her business, creating plenty of work for others. Putting up all these displays and transforming the venue into a wintertime attraction was such a significant undertaking.
“Fortunately I have not had a problem with staffing, I know a lot of people out there have. The staff that I have here, they are my staff throughout my wedding season. A lot of these kids are high school kids, and I’m telling you they are the hardest workers. Majority of them are from Tipp City, they’re juniors and seniors. They have worked their butts off for me,” Brannon said.
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Cedar Springs Pavilion opened on Thanksgiving Day and will be open daily from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. People are welcome to hang out in a covered patio to see Santa and Whoville or take a stroll through the outdoors.
“We have the beautiful pond lit up. My monarch butterfly house – I turned that into an igloo with polar bears and penguins so I hope people just get out, walk around, enjoy nature. It sits on 22 acres and we have just about 15 acres of it lit up,” Brannon said.
Brannon said it’s her first year. She’s already thinking about what she can add and improve on for next year.
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