Bogalusa will observe the 25th year of celebrating the magic of Christmas in its beautiful, forested Cassidy Park when the park is magically transformed with its display of colored lights, animated figures, sounds of Christmas music, and more from Thanksgiving night up to and including Christmas night.

Thousands of people from Bogalusa and beyond are drawn to Christmas in the Park every year, with the event becoming a family tradition for many, further by visiting the museums, sipping hot chocolate in the glow of the burning Yule Log , and having the little one pay a visit to Santa Claus.

To help support the event, a “Christmas in July,” a raffle for $5,000, is held as a fundraiser for the Christmas in the Park holiday event.

Tickets cost $100 each and only 150 are sold.

The drawing will take place at noon on Thursday, July 12, at the Washington Parish Economic Development Foundation office in Bogalusa. The winner does not have be present, and will be contacted by phone.

Those who do not win the cash will still be winners, as the stub of all raffle tickets will be good for two season passes to the 2018 Christmas in the Park.

No funding is received from the city or the state, so the annual raffle provides the only funding received besides donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and gate receipt.

Raffle tickets may be purchased from the Christmas in the Park commission member, or by calling Shirley Thompson at 985-735-7565, Colonel Bobby Miller at 985-750-8134, or Kay Kay Varnado in the mayor’s office at 985-732-6200, ext. 313.

The Christmas in the Park commission volunteers are excited about the continuing growth of the holiday display, and encourage the purchase of the raffle tickets.