Nature in Lights: A Central Texas Holiday Tradition

By Brandy Cruz

It’s difficult for Lisa Lorenz-Bass to believe an idea she dreamed up 23 years ago would grow into one of Central Texas’ most beloved Christmas traditions.

Nature in Lights, covering 5.5 miles at Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area, is one of the largest holiday events in the area, with more than 150,000 people coming out annually to see the ever-changing light display.

Lorenz-Bass, who works as the program coordinator for Fort Hood’s Outdoor Recreation Department, said when they reached more than 167,000 guests in the inaugural season, they realized they had something special.

“(It) set the standard for the 150,000 average seasonal participation,” she said.

Sitting in her office at BLORA, Lorenz-Bass explained how Nature in Lights began with 58 displays in 1998. Now, nearly 300 displays rotate each year depending on themes.

“We were just trying to find a way to utilize the park year-round,” she said. “Historically, besides the summer season, nobody really came out. This was a way to draw them out and see what all the park has to offer.”

Pulling out a binder of all the light displays for 2019, it’s clear Lorenz-Bass is well-organized. Every display has a nickname, and the binder is organized by location, with photos of how each display looks at night. As the event’s organizer, planner and designer, Lorenz-Bass said she plans several years out to keep pace with her other duties at Fort Hood. She is already planning the theme for 2023, mixing up displays to offer regular visitors a new experience each year. After deciding how the displays will be set up along the 5.5-mile route, she hands the designs over to the facility operations manager, who happens to be her husband.

Dennis Bass manages a crew of 14 people who work to keep BLORA beautiful. After his wife gives him the designs, it’s his job to bring them to life. His crew sketches out the design on the ground, bends raw metal provided by sponsor Metals to Go into the various shapes and figures needed then attaches the lights.

While Nature in Lights is only on most people’s minds during Christmas, the BLORA crew works on it year-round. Lorenz-Bass tries to create as many as 12 new displays each year, which the crew begins assembling in January.

“It’s kind of a non-stop process,” she said. “Someone’s working on Nature in Lights all year, even though it might not be for the current year.”

Bass explained the extreme weather conditions in Central Texas are hard on the displays. While they build new displays, they also have to maintain the older ones, removing lights and wiring that have deteriorated, repainting the metal and attaching new lighting.

“I have people working on building displays all the way up until June,” he said.

The facility operations team starts putting up the displays in August. Lorenz-Bass said the hard work is worth it once vehicles start coming in to see the lights.

“You can stand outside and listen to all the kiddos,” she said. “They’re looking out the windows or the skylights and they’re just singing and having a good time. We have a radio station that plays music, so as you drive through you can … listen to Christmas music.”

Although it’s difficult to choose a favorite, Lorenz-Bass said she has a soft spot for the Nativity, which nearly spans the length of a football field, because it’s true to the Christmas season.

“A lot of people like Santa and his whale,” she said. “There’s a Santa sitting in his little boat with a fishing pole and he’s animated. When you first see it, he’s just sitting in the boat, and then he throws it and you see this whale come up and get big.”

Bass said his favorite is a display called “Santa’s Surprise.” The highly animated display features Santa reaching into his bag. He pulls out a stick and shakes it, and it transforms into a Christmas tree.

“He throws it onto the ground and then reaches into the bag, pulls out a present and then throws it underneath the tree,” Bass said. “I’ve always liked it because it has a lot of animation to it.”

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, Nature in Lights has slowly evolved and expanded to include a pony ride for children at BLORA Ranch and a train ride at Santa’s Depot, which features Texas-themed displays this year.

The 5.5-mile route can take as little as 30 minutes or as long as three hours, depending on how long you stop along the route. New features this year include Santa’s Den, a large tent with inflatables for children to enjoy.

“We present Nature in Lights as a Christmas gift to the community and it has become a holiday tradition to the many families who return,” Lorenz-Bass said.

Before exiting the park, Bass said people should be prepared for the light tunnel. What began in 1998 as a 200-foot tunnel has grown to 500 feet. He said vehicles usually like to drive through one at a time, so other vehicles do not interfere with photos.

Nature in Lights will run daily from 5:30 to 11 p.m., through Jan. 5. Tickets are $20 per vehicle. T-shirts and Christmas ornaments will be available for purchase. Lorenz-Bass also said visitors on Mondays through Wednesdays will receive a complimentary Nature in Lights ornament, while supplies last.

Nature in Lights is at BLORA, 7999 Sparta Road, Belton. For more information, call 254-287-2523.