Giant Nutcracker Returns to River Forks Park as Festival of Lights Preparations Continue

ROSEBURG, Ore. - One of Douglas County's most recognizable holiday attractions is back in place at River Forks Park after crews from Oldham Crane and the hired seasonal employees completed the installation of the giant wooden nutcracker on Friday, November 6.

The Roseburg Plug visited the park Friday to document the installation, capturing photographs of the crew's work as preparations continue for the upcoming Umpqua Valley Festival of Lights.

Standing more than 40 feet tall and weighing over 16,000 pounds, the nutcracker, known as Herr Woody Winterguard, has become a familiar sight for families visiting the annual holiday display. Its size makes installation a significant undertaking each year, requiring specialized equipment to get the towering figure back into position.

Oldham Crane and hired seasonal employees handled the full installation Friday, marking another step toward opening night on November 22.

The Story Behind Roseburg's Giant Nutcracker

The nutcracker has been part of the Umpqua Valley's holiday tradition for more than a decade.

The wooden figure was created in 2014 by Willamette Valley woodworker Toby Johnson, who used chainsaws to carve the massive structure.

Its construction incorporates several types of wood, including sequoia, coastal redwood, western red cedar and Port Orford cedar. Metalwork for the project was completed by Intermountain Innovations Corps.

The figure has been promoted as the world's largest nutcracker, a distinction that has helped make it one of the festival's best-known attractions.

Maintaining a wooden structure of that size also requires considerable work. In 2023, the nutcracker underwent a restoration supported by local donors, including cleaning, pressure washing, repainting and refinishing.

During a visit to the festival in December 2025, The Roseburg Receiver and The Roseburg Plug spoke with Roseburg Rotarians Sue Van Volkenburg and Fred Sabins about the challenges of maintaining the display.

Van Volkenburg explained that the nutcracker is among the more difficult attractions to prepare each season because it must be stored in large sections and includes moving components. Sabins also discussed repair work that had been performed on the figure's head.

Friday's installation brings the attraction back to River Forks Park ahead of another holiday season.

A Holiday Tradition More Than Three Decades in the Making

The Umpqua Valley Festival of Lights began in 1993 through the Roseburg Rotary Club, following an idea by Rotarian Kerwin Doughton to create a drive-through Christmas light display for the community.

What started as a local holiday project has grown into one of Southern Oregon's established seasonal attractions.

This year's festival will feature more than 500,000 lights and over 90 displays along a half-mile route through River Forks Park.

Visitors can expect a variety of illuminated scenes, animated decorations and familiar holiday characters, along with the giant nutcracker.

The event is also a fundraiser for the Roseburg Rotary Foundation, with proceeds supporting scholarships for graduating high school seniors and other community projects throughout the Umpqua Valley.

Organizers report that more than 8,000 vehicles visit the display during a typical season.

Festival Opens November 22

The 2026 Umpqua Valley Festival of Lights is scheduled to open Sunday, November 22, and continue nightly through January 1, 2027.

The drive-through display will open at 5:30 p.m. each evening, closing at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Admission is $15 per vehicle.

The Dutch Bros Holiday Village will also return to River Forks Park, offering visits with Santa, holiday decorations, cookies, cider and a model railroad. Admission to the Holiday Village is included with a festival ticket.

Wagon rides are also returning this year, giving visitors another way to experience the holiday lights. The rides provide an alternative to driving through the displays and offer a chance to enjoy the decorations from an open-air wagon.

For those passing through the Garden Valley area in the coming weeks, the return of the giant nutcracker is one of the first visible signs that another Festival of Lights season is approaching.

Additional event information and tickets are available at https://www.uvfestivaloflights.com/.