Speedway lights up for Christmas season on Saturday night

More than three million Christmas lights will illuminate Charlotte Motor Speedway beginning Saturday.

The sixth annual Speedway Christmas will feature a newly-designed course measuring 3.5 miles, the longest light show ever at the track.

The show will continue from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night through Dec. 30, except for on Christmas Day.

Among the new features this year will be displays that create the illusion of lights dancing to 17 Christmas songs. Visitors can tune their car radios to 91.1 FM to listen to the music as they take in the lights.

Illuminated displays representing the 12 Days of Christmas will adorn the front-stretch grandstands, with some displays towering 40 feet.

Visitors will have the rare chance to drive around the track for nearly a mile, including a section under the front-stretch grandstands.

Saturday’s opening night activities will start with the third annual Eggnog Jog 5K fun run at 6 p.m. Nearly 1,000 runners are expected to enter the family fun run. (Note for attendees: Festive costumes are encouraged, but eggnog drinking is not required. Register at www.eggnogjog5K.com.)

Fireworks will follow at 7:20 p.m. and the opening of the drive-through show at 7:30 p.m.

Speedway Christmas also features a Christmas village including photos with Santa, petting zoo, vendor displays and marshmallow roasting.

Finally, each Thursday through Saturday, classic holiday movies will be shown on on the speedway's 16,000-square-foot HDTV, including “Home Alone,” “Elf” and “Frozen.” Admission is included in the price of the light show ticket.

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 9:47 AM with the headline "Speedway lights up for Christmas season on Saturday night."