MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights Now Open Through Christmas

For most Wichita Falls and area residents, a walk through the MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights is an essential part of their Christmas and it is open every night from now through December 26th.

While the annual Christmas light display will be open in its normal location on Midwestern State University's Hardin Lawn at 3410 Taft Boulevard, some things will be done a little bit differently this year.

Everyone is asked to wear some sort of protective face mask as there will be other people in your immediate vicinity while you enjoy the display. Disposable courtesy masks will be available for those who need them.

There will be directional arrows along the walkways and volunteers with routing maps to keep everyone moving in the same direction and avoid pedestrian traffic jams.

The Santa's Toys, Frosty's Friends, and the Santa Chair picture spots will all have special sanitizers in use.

All animated displays have a "show" time of less than the current CDC guidelines for congregating in close proximity.

The Fantasy of Lights display was begun by Mr. and Mrs. L.T. Burns outside their home on 10th Street back in the late 1920s.

When Mrs. Burns passed away in 1971 the display was stored in Archer City and sat, unused, for three years.

In 1974 the display was offered to Midwestern State University with the condition that the display be offered to the public, free of charge, each holiday season. A committee was formed, thousands of dollars were raised, and dozens of volunteers from both Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base came together to repair, repaint, and restore the display to the point where it could be shown. The MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights was first shown on the campus of Midwestern State University on December 4th, 1974, and it's been a Wichita Falls holiday tradition ever since.

According to their official website, the display currently has 45 lighted and animated displays, utilizes about 20,000 light bulbs, and delights approximately 200,000 visitors each Christmas.

The MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights will be open to the public from dusk until 10:00 p.m. now through December 26th, on the campus of Midwestern State University at 3410 Taft Boulevard.

The annual display is funded by charitable donations and not Midwestern State University. Donations to support the MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights can be made on their secure online donations page.