Daytrip getaways: Classic movie’s leg lamp among winter light displays not far from Wichita

A 50-foot-tall recreation of one of the most recognizable movie props in cinematic history is on display 200 miles southwest of Wichita.

From the black high heel up the shapely leg covered in black fishnet stocking to the bell-shaped shade with a ring of black fringe hanging from its bottom edge: Yep, this is a dead ringer for the iconic leg lamp from the 1983 film “A Christmas Story.”

The 40-foot-tall leg is even standing atop a 10-foot-tall wooden crate similar to the one in which the lamp arrives to the Parker household and bears the stenciled warning of “fragile” that 9-year-old Ralphie’s “old man” mispronounces “fra-GEE-lay.”

(If you’re not familiar with the movie or the leg lamp storyline, turn your television to TBS any time after 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve to catch the annual 24-hour marathon of the original film.)

This locally designed and built sculpture opened on Nov. 5 on the eastern edge of downtown Chickasha, Oklahoma, as part of phase one of developing a new downtown park that will include a small building with a visitor center and public restrooms by the end of 2022, according to Jim Cowan, president and CEO of the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce and the city’s Economic Development Council.

Chickasha tried an inflatable leg lamp for the 2020 and 2021 holiday seasons. Cowan said it attracted traffic but too often visitors would arrive to find that the wind had blown it down. The fiberglass sculpture is permanent and will be accessible year-round.

“With us being centrally located, we wanted travelers to be able to stop in Chickasha any time of the year to take a picture and hopefully grab a bite to eat, fill the car up with gas, and we’d love it if they spend the night as well.”

While the leg lamp will be available year-round, visiting before Dec. 31 gives you the chance to also see the Chickasha Festival of Light, a volunteer-driven experience now in its 30th year. It’s free (donations accepted) to walk or drive through to see the 3.5 million lights, 172-foot-tall tree, animated displays and a computer animated light show synchronized to holiday tunes. If you drive through you’ll want to stop at designated parking spots (they are limited so consider the shuttle offered from the leg lamp) and walk to photo ops and activities including ice skating, horse-drawn carriages, a carousel and a Ferris wheel. Find details at chickashafestivaloflight.org.

The size of the leg lamp makes it a fun stop any time of day but to truly see “the soft glow of electric sex” that Ralphie experienced you’ll want to see it illuminated. I suggest timing your visit to get photos at the lamp during daylight as well as at dusk.

Organizers program the color of the lights to match what’s going on in town. During my visit, it was purple and gold — the school colors of the local high school football team in the state playoffs. I’ve also seen photos of green and gold lights to represent the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma as well as the traditional Christmas red and green.

Cowan said most visitors who stop to see it wonder why there’s a leg lamp in Chickasha. The idea for the attraction was at first purely to give people a reason to stop, Cowan said. But then a connection was discovered by residents when Chickasha resident Noland James’ 2020 obituary included the line, “Noland always felt his lamp was the prototype for the one in the movie — A Christmas Story.”

A sign at the park provides a link to a website (visitchickasha.com/the-leg-lamp) that explains how James created a lamp using a mannequin early in his career teaching at the University of Oklahoma School of Visual Arts. A man stopped by his office several times to investigate the lamp, and later James saw the man’s name as part of the production team that produced the leg lamp for the movie.

I asked Cowan if this is local legend or if it has been researched. He said a group of filmmakers is working on a documentary about the origin of the lamp with hopes to release the film next summer. Either way, it makes for a fun road trip.

In honor of the leg lamp and the holiday season, we’ve rounded up a short list of regional destinations to see unique light spectacles this winter.

Yukon, Oklahoma

170 miles south of Wichita

With 5 million lights illuminating more than 500 displays across three inter-connected city parks, Christmas in the Park claims to be Oklahoma’s largest drive-through light display. The event is free (donations accepted) and operates nightly through Dec. 31.

Drivers follow a 3-mile path while walkers follow a 2.2-mile trail; for $5 per person there’s also an option to ride the Santa Express Train to see the displays — from whimsical displays of favorite holiday characters to a 30-foot digital Christmas tree presenting a light show to the “Will you marry me?” sign that serves as the backdrop to a handful of proposals every season.

The city also operates an outdoor ice rink that is an additional charge. See a full schedule of activities at yukonok.gov/ChristmasinthePark.

Kansas City

190 miles northeast of Wichita

One of the region’s largest indoor light experiences is Holiday Reflections at Kansas City’s Union Station. For the third year, the renovated landmark’s Grand Plaza is transformed into a walk-through winter wonderland. Massive mirrored ornaments, a 40-foot tree, smaller decorated trees, floor-to-ceiling light installations, projections and more create a 27,000-square-foot village.

Entry is by timed ticket to allow groups to get photos together as they walk through, which should take about 45 minutes combined with seeing Union Station’s holiday model train display. Admission is $7 weekdays and $9 weekends. For an additional $5, kids shorter than 48 inches tall can ride a mini holiday express train through the Rudy’s Wonderland themed section, and a new add-on this year is a virtual reality sleigh ride that costs $6 per person.

Holiday Reflections runs daily through Jan. 1 except Christmas, and advance purchase is suggested (unionstation.org). Watch the Union Station calendar for other special events scheduled during your visit.

Bentonville, Arkansas

240 miles southeast of Wichita

After three seasons of hosting the North Forest Lights, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville debuted a new outdoor, nighttime experience this fall that runs through Jan. 1. Like its predecessor, “Listening Forest” is not a holiday light show but rather an outdoor experience that uses light, sound and projections.

Eight site-specific artworks by media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer create an interactive walk along a trail outside the museum, which is set among 120 acres of native Ozark forest. For example, in Pulse Forest your heartbeat is added to a collection of 3,000 lightbulbs that glimmer to the pulse of current and past guests.

Plan on at least an hour to walk the 1.5-mile experience available Wednesday through Sunday evenings except Christmas Eve and Christmas. Tickets vary based on the day you’re visiting, they start at $22 for non-member adults and $10 for children. Advance tickets are encouraged (crystalbridges.org).

Branson, Missouri

360 miles south of Wichita

We can’t leave off Branson when making a list of regional holiday wonders. Silver Dollar City consistently ranks among the top theme parks nationally for An Old Time Christmas festival and lights play a big part of that designation.

The park now counts 6.5 million lights, 1,000 decorated trees, 600 wreaths and more than 3 miles of garland and ribbon. They have an elaborate 8-story animated Christmas tree, a nightly light parade and colossal light tunnels in the Christmas in Midtown section of the park.

There are also rides, craft demonstrations and 30 shows daily, including the new “Coming Home for Christmas” featuring a cast of 14 singers and dancers alongside a live band. Tickets start at $75 for kids and seniors, $85 for adults. They’re open most days through Dec. 30 when the park closes until the spring season. Check silverdollarcity.com for details.

Dallas, Texas

360 miles south of Wichita

Marketed as “the world’s largest Christmas light maze and village,” there are nine locations of Enchant Christmas in the U.S. Fair Park in South Dallas — site of the Texas State Fair — is the closest for Wichitans.

The main attraction is a walk-through light maze themed around the story of “The Mischievous Elf” and featuring more than 4 million lights. Plan on 45 minutes for the maze, and a general admission ticket also includes access to live entertainment, Santa, a 100-foot-tall Christmas tree, a bar for adults, a play area for kids and a village of vendors selling arts, crafts, merchandise and seasonal treats. Build in time for all the holiday photo ops you’d expect from an attraction sponsored by The Hallmark Channel.

Enchant is open nightly through Jan. 1 with tickets starting at $32 for adults and $20 for children (enchantchristmas.com). For an additional $15-$17 you can skate through a forest trail of lights.