Celebration includes a 24-foot gingerbread house, holiday décor, a tree lighting ceremony, reality TV stars and charity donations

 Mohegan Sun’s annual World of Holiday Marvels is set for its biggest holiday celebration to date with fireworks, music, treats, a toy drive, a fire truck parade, performances from former American Idol contestants and Mohegan Sun’s fifth annual tree lighting ceremony on November 30th. 

Tree Lighting Ceremony

Welcoming the holiday season will be Mohegan Sun’s fifth annual tree lighting ceremony on Monday, November 30th. The ceremony begins at 5:00pm on the rooftop of the Thames Garage including an appearance from Santa and the 2nd annual Juke Box Jingle singing competition sponsored by Q105 at 5:30pm. Local contestants will compete for top prizes of $250.00, $100.00 and $50.00 gift cards to The Shops at Mohegan Sun. Radio stations WCTY, WKNL and WQGN will be awarding gifts and prizes to guests.  

Dollar refreshments will be available including Hot Dogs, Pretzels, Soup and complimentary Cider, Hot Chocolate and Gingerbread Cookies, with proceeds benefiting local charities. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys For Tots Program, in conjunction with the Hartford Festival of Light will also be accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys.

Performers from Albano’s Nutcracker will meet guests at the Sky Valet, where guests can also take a shuttle to the Thames Garage.

At 6:15pm, Mohegan Sun’s 1st annual holiday fire truck parade kicks off, followed by the lighting of the 66-foot holiday tree and a fireworks display by Pyro FX. The ceremony concludes at 7:00pm.

In the event the tree lighting ceremony is cancelled due to inclement weather, a make-up date is scheduled for December 1st. 

American Stars In Concert For The Holidays

The Shops at Mohegan Sun present American Stars in Concert For the Holidays.  In celebration of the holiday season, Mohegan Sun will welcome former American Idol contestants Michael Sarver, Alexis Grace, David Hernandez and Gina Glocksen as they perform their favorite holiday tunes on Monday, November 30th in The Shops at Mohegan Sun. The live performance will begin at 7:30pm, followed by a signing event at 8:30pm. The concert will take place rain or shine, even in the event that the tree lighting ceremony is postponed.

28-Foot Gingerbread House

The Shops at Mohegan Sun is once again home to a 28-foot life-size gingerbread house. Created by Executive Pastry Chef Lynn Mansel and Mohegan Sun’s culinary team, this year’s house incorporates approximately 6,525 gingerbread bricks, four 7-foot soldiers made out of milk chocolate and Rice Krispies®, man-made icing, and white, dark and milk chocolate will help out the gingerbread house. Assisted by Mohegan Sun’s culinary team, local children from Mohegan and Murphy Elementary Schools will assist in the construction process. Visitors of all ages can walk through the home to view the tiny rooms inside filled with a standout stone fireplace made from gingerbread and dark icing grout, chocolate stockings, a holiday tree, a chocolate rocking chair and a chocolate glass with assorted cookies for Santa to enjoy. Topping off the house is a cupola and weathervane with four chocolate chefs.   

Mohegan Sun’s culinary staff will also construct a gingerbread gazebo that will serve as a gift wrap booth from December 11th through the 24th. Between the hours of 12:00pm and 8:00pm, purchases can be brought to the gazebo to be wrapped for $3.00 to $10.00 per gift. All proceeds will benefit MDA and Hospice Southeastern Connecticut.

Toys For Tots

Mohegan Sun also serves as a toy collection site for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys For Tots Program, in conjunction with the Hartford Festival of Light. New, unwrapped toys for children will be accepted until December 11th, 24 hours a day at the Riverview and Summer Coat Checks.

Holiday Décor

Throughout the property, Mohegan Sun along with The Becker Group has set up a variety of holiday decorations. Casino of the Earth features ornaments and illuminated wreaths measuring over ten feet tall.  The Shops at Mohegan Sun will bring the picturesque New England winter indoors with 17-foot ice light curtains and custom-designed snowflakes suspended over iceberg islands.  The hotel lobby will be transformed into a whimsical world brimming with adventure including an 18-foot tree of cascading water in an icy atmosphere filled with frosted trees and friendly forest animals.  A 16-foot illuminated wreath and a theatrical lighting display of snowflakes will fall above the already-spectacular Taughannick Falls.

Maps highlighting the World of Holiday Marvels displays can be found at any Player’s Club booth throughout the casino and during the tree lighting ceremony.

Over thirty stores are located in The Shops at Mohegan Sun for holiday shopping. For a complete list of the stores and holiday hours, please visit mohegansun.com/shopping.

Additionally, Mohegan Sun gift cards are available for purchase in any denomination at Mohegan Sun’s Box Office, Essentials stores and Everything Under the Sun which are located conveniently throughout the property. 

Mohegan Sun gift cards can be used at any store, restaurant or concert and sporting event at Mohegan Sun.  They’re also accepted at Mohegan Sun’s luxurious hotel, Elemis Spa and at Mohegan Sun’s Mobil Gas Station and Convenience Store.

The Becker Group, the design firm chosen to create Mohegan Sun’s World of Holiday Marvels, has over fifty years of experience creating immersive, entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences for a wide variety of clients.  Venues include shopping malls, consumer brands, movie studios, television networks, theme parks, museums and casinos around the globe.  The award-winning experiential marketing company is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and has offices in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Miami, Barcelona, Spain and San Paulo, Brazil. 

Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the United States.  Situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country.  More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com.