Bruce McPherson

Retailer teams up with Intel to reimagine the tradition of holiday lights

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Nov, 2020 — This year’s holiday season feels like it needs more than the standard set of lights. Instead, think drones. To help families end the year looking up, Walmart is gifting the “Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show,” an all-new magical experience that brings the joy and wonder of the holiday season to the skies of select communities across the country, and to all families through a special live-streamed event.

The “Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show” is a free and contactless experience that brings holiday songs to life like never before. Thanks to nearly 1,000 Intel drones launched into the night’s sky, the light show creates three-dimensional seasonal shapes and characters, like snowflakes, reindeer, snowmen and holiday presents, choreographed to a soundtrack of classic and modern holiday favorites, from “Frosty the Snowman” by Bing Crosby to “Run Run Rudolph” by Kelly Clarkson.

“After a particularly tough year, we want to help families end the year looking up. We want customers and communities to enjoy a moment of rest, peace and hope,” William White, chief marketing officer at Walmart, said. “From our summer movie drive-in to our fall gameday and Halloween experiences, we’ve been finding ways to help families enjoy seasonal traditions in a year when they thought it might not be possible.”Walmart Holiday Drone Light ShowPlay Video

Eight communities across the country will be able to experience the modern light show live when it flies through their town. The event promises a fun and safe family night out complete with pre-show entertainment, including music from local DJs and a short holiday special, “DreamWorks Trolls Holiday,” before the drones take flight. From Dec. 4-20, the “Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show” will visit:

• Friday, Dec. 4: Kansas City, Kansas at Kansas Speedway
• Saturday, Dec. 5: Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl
• Wednesday, Dec. 9: San Antonio, Texas at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
• Thursday, Dec. 10: Doswell, Virginia at Kings Dominion
• Sunday, Dec. 13: Phoenix, Arizona at Phoenix Raceway
• Wednesday, Dec. 16: Charlotte, North Carolina at Carowinds
• Friday, Dec. 18: Sacramento, California at Sleep Train Arena
• Sunday, Dec. 20: Fayetteville, Arkansas at 112 Drive-In

Families can visit www.WalmartDroneShow.com starting on Monday, Nov. 23 at 5:00 p.m. ET to reserve free tickets to watch the show from the safety of their own car or a designated viewing area right next to their car. When confirmed, families will receive an email with a QR code, which will grant their vehicle entry on the day of the event. Tickets are available while supplies last.

The joy and wonder of the “Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show” isn’t limited to just these communities. Any family can be wowed as the drones paint the sky with holiday cheer by tuning in to a live broadcast of the light show on Walmart’s Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7:40 p.m. ET.

Intel is using its newest drone light show technology to brighten this holiday season for families across the country through the “Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show.” Blurring the boundaries between art and technology, each Intel drone serves as a pixel of light that paints the night sky with dynamic 3D animations to create a vivid and truly unforgettable story.

About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better — anytime and anywhere — in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 265 million customers and members visit approximately 11,400 stores under 55 banners in 26 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2020 revenue of $524 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.