A brand new holiday experience has just taken off. “Jingle Jets” opened tonight at the u-s-s midway museum and features hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights. NBC 7’s Audra Stafford shows us what it took to transform the midway from a warship into a winter wonderland.
The USS Midway Museum will deck out the carrier from bow to stern Friday with hundreds of thousands of twinkling and shimmering lights to celebrate this year's holidays with "Jingle Jets," a festive lighting experience.
The inaugural event begins Friday and runs on 17 dates between Nov. 24 and Dec. 23 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The 40,000-plus ton Midway will be transformed from mighty warship to winter wonderland with an aviation twist.
"We're very excited to bring Jingle Jets to San Diegans," said Mark Berlin, Midway's director of operations and guest services. "This will be an incredible holiday experience that will be totally unique in San Diego."
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Jingle Jets will encompass Midway's flight deck and hangar deck, as well as a portion of its lower deck, museum officials said.
"Visitors entering the hangar deck will be greeted by holiday carolers as they meander through a wintery forest of illuminated trees filled with brilliantly lit tunnels, life-size holiday ornaments, reindeer, and a polar bear or two," a museum statement said. "Overhead truss lighting will fill the hangar hues of red, green and blue, and additional lighting from above will simulate snowflakes."
The center section of the carrier's flight deck will feature overhead white icicle lights crisscrossed from decorative truss towers, while the fantail will come alive with three 20-foot rope-light Christmas trees. Nearly a dozen of Midway's aircraft will be wrapped in holiday lights while the others will receive lighting treatments.
Additionally, the mast will be "awash in traditional seasonal colors and feature a prominent holiday wreath projected onto the island to complete the flattop's festive atmosphere," the museum statement reads.
More festive fun
"We want our guests to feel like they've stepped into an amazing holiday world, a place to bring joy and magic like they've never experienced anywhere else," said Cheryl Carlson, Midway's director of special events. "I think Jingle Jets will become a great new and memorable holiday tradition in San Diego."
Down below on the second deck, guests can write letters to service members on holiday stationery.
The event will also include dancing with a DJ spinning music, photo opportunities and Santa Claus "in his red flight suit while sitting in his holiday ejection seat." Holiday-themed treats and delicious eats along with seasonal merchandise will be available at the museum's Café 41 and Jet Shop giftshop.
