"In years past, Founders Park was lit, whereas this year, now this park will not be lit as lit at all." That was Wyatt Richardson, the Town of Leland's community enrichment director, speaking to WECT in December 2023. He was explaining why the town's holiday display had moved to the steps of Town Hall and the stretch of Town Hall Drive toward the Brunswick Senior Resource Center.
Founders Park was about to close for renovation. A display that normally ran past 100,000 lights got scaled back to fit the municipal campus next door.
On Saturday, Nov. 21, Leland in Lights returns to a park that is finished for the first time since then. The Town of Leland calls it "the first Leland in Lights in the fully renovated park." The stage is what changes the event most. Leland in Lights has always taken its shape from whatever ground it had to work with, and this year it has a finished amphitheater and a December schedule to go with it.
Three Seasons, Three Different Footprints
The event dates to 2018, according to WWAY's 2022 coverage. By 2022 it filled Founders Park. Port City Daily described singing Christmas trees, snowmen playing baseball, a snowball fight, Old Man Winter and the Candy Cane Forest. Construction started in December 2023, per WECT. The 2023 and 2025 seasons each worked with whatever part of the park was available.
| Season | Where the lights were | What the site allowed | Run |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Town Hall steps, Town Hall Drive, nearby municipal grounds | Scaled-back display, with food trucks, music and Santa at Town Hall | Dec. 2 to Jan. 1 |
| 2025 | Founders Park, partly reopened | Lights along the new multi-use path, Santa under the new picnic shelter, amphitheater still under construction | Dec. 6 to Jan. 4 |
| 2026 | Founders Park, fully renovated | New centerpiece display, carolers on the amphitheater stage, December programming, two trains | Nov. 21 to Jan. 3 |
The 2023 display lasted 31 nights and the 2025 display 30. The 2026 season covers 44, because it opens two weeks earlier than last year's Dec. 6 start. That puts the lights up the Saturday before Thanksgiving, well ahead of the December openings in 2023 and 2025.
The 2025 return had its limits. WWAY reported that most of the park would reopen for Grand Illumination, but the amphitheater wouldn't be finished until spring 2026. Crews were still removing trees and cleaning up other sections. WECT noted new staged displays and a restored 1950s Chevrolet truck among that season's additions. When opening night came, WECT reported that rain and a power problem got in the way, but the lights came on.
What the Finished Stage Adds
In November 2024, StarNews estimated the renovation at about $8 million before completion. About $2 million was to come from grants and the town's general fund, and about $6 million from loans. The splash pad opened in spring 2026. The amphitheater was the last major piece, finished in time for the park's grand opening on July 31, WWAY reported.
Back in that 2023 interview, Richardson named the splash pad and amphitheater as the upgrades he was waiting for. The amphitheater is the one that matters for a December evening, and the 2026 plan puts it to work on opening night, when carolers perform from the stage. After that, Live at Leland in Lights brings live music, movie screenings and dueling pianos to Founders Park on six December evenings.
The town is adding a second Leland Express train this year, sponsored by the Leland Tourism Development Authority. On scheduled evenings both trains run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and holiday programming starts at 6 p.m. The town has dealt with train timing before. Its 2023 Parks and Recreation Board minutes record a request for clearer communication about the train schedule after confusion over the previous year's ride cutoff. Posting a single 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. window for both trains settles that question.
Grand Illumination, Saturday, Nov. 21
The evening starts at 6 p.m. at Founders Park, 113 Town Hall Drive, and runs until 8 p.m. Santa and Mayor Brenda Bozeman will flip the switch. The night also includes the unveiling of the new displays, with a centerpiece in the middle of the park that the town describes as a backdrop for holiday photos, plus train rides and carolers on the amphitheater stage.
Scheduled food vendors are Chocolate and S'more, The Green Bean, Glizzies on the Go, Cheez Boss and Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Sweet Shop. A beer garden will pour from two local breweries, Leland Brewing and Brunswick Beer and Cider.
Parking is the part to plan ahead. The town flagged limited parking as far back as its 2023 planning, and the shuttle setup from last year is back.
- Shuttle lots: Port City Community Church, 187 Old Fayetteville Road, and First Baptist Church of Leland, 517 Village Road NE
- Shuttle start: 5:30 p.m., running to Town Hall
- Accessible parking: Town Hall and Founders Park lots
- Road closure: Town Hall Drive between Village Road and Old Fayetteville Road, 4:30 to 9 p.m.
Six December Evenings at Founders Park
After opening night, the scheduled programming moves to Fridays and Saturdays in December. Each Live at Leland in Lights evening comes with local food trucks and a beer garden.
- Friday, Dec. 4: Live entertainment
- Saturday, Dec. 5: "Home Alone" and visits with Santa
- Friday, Dec. 11: Visits with Santa
- Saturday, Dec. 12: "A Christmas Story"
- Friday, Dec. 18: Live entertainment
- Saturday, Dec. 19: Dueling pianos with Blazin' Keys Entertainment
Saturday, Dec. 5 can fill a whole day. The town's Holiday Art Market runs that day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way, with handmade gifts from local artisans and food trucks. Gift shopping in the afternoon and "Home Alone" at Founders Park in the evening keeps the day inside Leland.
On nights without programming, the display stays lit through Jan. 3, and admission is free. That leaves several quiet weeks after the December schedule ends, including the stretch between Christmas and New Year's, to walk the new paths without a crowd. The town posts updates at LelandinLights.com.
Hosting family over the holidays, or thinking about which parts of Leland put a park like this within walking distance? At Galarde & Co., we follow how projects like Founders Park change everyday life on both sides of the Cape Fear, and we're glad to share what we see. Schedule a Personalized Consultation.
