Here's how to see Veterans United's holiday drive-thru light display in Columbia

Bright golden, white, blue, green, red, purple lights and more will greet guests once again as Veterans United Home Loans puts on its fourth annual Bright Lights/Holiday Nights drive-thru displays.

Featuring more than 1 million lights, guests will start their journey toward the Veterans United offices from State Farm Parkway, said Kylee Lawhead, event organizer.

"We wanted to provide the community with a fun way to get out of the house and do something with their family over the holiday season together," she said.

At least 1,000 vehicles are expected to travel through the display, which opens to the public at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 and runs through Dec. 17. The display is available to drive through nightly from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Visitors are not allowed to stop or exit vehicles during the roughly one-mile tour of lights around the Veterans United Home Loans building on Veterans United Drive.

"It is a magical experience to drive through a million lights, for sure," Lawhead said, adding that among her favorite displays are the musical tree and tunnel and the enchanted tree, which is one of the final displays guests will see.

Cars will enter from the eastern-most Veterans United Drive campus entrance and continue through the display until they exit through the western-most Veterans United Drive exit. During event hours, the only way to access Veterans United Drive will be from State Farm Parkway, as traffic from South Providence Road will be restricted from turning east onto Veterans United Drive.

Columbia police will help with traffic control, Lawhead said. Additional onsite staff will direct traffic within the drive to ensure traffic flows properly. Traffic generally is heaviest at the start of the evening, so it is recommended visitors plan accordingly or come a little later than 7 p.m.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Veterans United Home Loans offers drive-thru holiday light display