‘Light the Night’ holiday spectacular returns to Charleston this November

By Matthew Young, RealWV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – At a Tuesday media event held in the Victory Club at GoMart Ballpark, representatives from the Charleston Dirty Birds joined with both city and county officials to announce the operating dates for the third annual Salango Law Dirty Birds Light the Night holiday spectacular.

“As always, we’re trying to make things bigger and better every single year,” Jill Gearin, Dirty Birds’ manager of community engagement and media relations, told those in attendance. “Opening night is Nov. 21, and we’re running all the way through Jan. 1, 2026.”

Light the Night, Gearin added, will be open to the public every evening during this period, with the exception of Christmas (December 25). 

During the 2024 holiday season, more than 123,000 visitors representing 42 states enjoyed Light the Night at GoMart Ballpark. West Virginia’s representation included visitors from 46 cities, and some 461 zip codes. 

On-hand to discuss some of the new enhancements for 2025 was Dirty Birds’ General Manager Ben Blum, who said, “We have added carnival games…we have that to offer for the kiddos.”

“We’re also adding four-to-five additional rides,” Blum continued. “We’ll have more variety and more availability for our friends to come, and visit, enjoy and stay – play with all these wonderful games and rides during our festival, and also enjoy the lights.”

West Virginia-based All Year Sports Galaxy, Blum added, will be providing the ice rink for both ice skating, and ice bumper cars. 

“We’re going to have a bigger and better ice rink this year,” Blum noted. “It’s going to be 80-feet-by-80-feet instead of the 60-by-120.”

Lastly, Blum concluded, the attraction will feature a new layout, and several new design elements.

“It’s always changing, but always exciting,” Blum added. 

Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango, owner of Salango Law, has been the primary sponsor of Light the Night since the event’s inception in 2023.

“It’s rare when I show up to a press conference in August, when it’s 93 degrees outside, and everyone is wearing Christmas sweaters but me,” Salango said, laughingly referring to his Dirty Birds partners festive attire, while he, himself, donned a business suit. 

“When Andy Shea (Dirty Birds owner and CEO) approached me a couple years ago about this event (Light the Night)…I knew it was going to be a success,” Salango continued. “This is something that the city has needed, Kanawha County has needed, and, quite frankly, the State of West Virginia has needed for a long time. Andy and his team have been so creative, and they work so hard to make this a truly wonderful event.”

Salango then spoke briefly about 2024’s attendance figures, adding that, “We also had folks come in from Canada. That’s how big this event has become.”

The all-time GoMart Ballpark single-day attendance record – 11,263 – was set during last year’s Light the Night spectacular, a feat which Salango credits the state-of-the-art GoMart Ballpark. 

“None of this would have been possible but for Mayor (Amy Schuler) Goodwin and the City of Charleston making the investment to make this turf,” Salango explained, referring to the 2023 renovation project which saw the grass playing field at GoMart Ballpark replaced with artificial turf.

“If it was grass, you could play in the spring and summer, and then in the fall you really couldn’t do anything,” Salango added. “You couldn’t have people – certainly 120,000 people – trampling over grass. That was a game-changer for this park, and this city.”

At the conclusion of Salango’s remarks, Andy Shea briefly addressed attendees, sharing with them his belief that Light the Night will “far outlive us.”

“Before you know it, my son, Andrew, will be the one standing up here telling you about what’s going on at Light the Night,” Shea said. “And that’s what’s so awesome about this event. […] As we’ve seen in plenty of different ways, this baby is the crown jewel of our entire industry, and we are still the absolute kings of it.”

Making the event even more West Virginia-centric, Shea said, is a top priority for his team. In addition to partnering with All Year Sports Galaxy, Shea said that, “Everyone who will be installing the lights this year will be from right here in West Virginia.”

Beginning on Friday, Nov. 21, Light the Night will be open from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tickets are on sale now.

For more information, including a complete schedule of events, or to purchase tickets, visit dblightthenight.com. `