With a countdown from 10 to one and the flipping of six switches, one of Oregons most splendid holiday displays lit the night sky the day after Thanksgiving.

About 150 people gathered in Simons Cliff House, the dining room at the Columbia Gorge Hotel, for the annual Festival of Lights, the ceremonial lighting of the grounds. Vijay Patel, Pendleton hotelier, and his family welcomed the crowd. Accompanying him were his wife, Mita, daughter Preena and son Taran.

Patels A-1 Hospitality, which owns four other hotels in Pendleton and Pasco, Wash., acquired the historic hotel near Hood River in early November 2009.

I think in one year weve come a long way, Patel said, relaxing in the Valentino Lounge before the lighting ceremony. When we bought it, the hotel was too dull.

Workers have brightened the woodwork, repainting the extensive door and window trim a bright white, covering the creamy beige that Patel said looked dirty.

The staff considerably brightened the outside as well. Patel bought a shipping container full of red, white and blue LED strings to decorate the 7.1-acre grounds this year. It took the hotels maintenance staff three-and-a-half weeks and 340 man-hours to string the 14 miles of lights.

The exact number of lights displayed is a closely-guarded secret because a Hood River radio station is having a holiday contest, asking listeners to guess the number. Published reports put the number of lights at a quarter-million. Thats close, but its not exact.

The lighting display was not as extensive last year, Patel said, but it still cost the hotel more than $3,500 during December. He expects to cut that bill 80 to 90 percent this year because of the energy-efficient LED strings employed.

The display also is brighter than in past years. The nearly 200 cases (4,000 boxes) of lights put out more illumination than the warm white bulbs used in past years.

The color is crisper, brighter, Patel said, and theyre longer-lasting, too.

The hotel donated its old lighting strings to the city of Hood River for its holiday lighting displays. Maintenance man David McCrea said the donation included seven different types of light strings, some up to 20 years old.

While the hotels grounds were lit with clear incandescent bulbs in the past, this years display involves blue lights on two trees and along Phelps Creek, which runs through the property. Blue LEDs also illuminate Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, which tumble 208 feet into the Columbia River beside the patio behind the hotel.

Workers strung red lights around all of the light posts and used red lights to give a candy-cane treatment to three trees, two near the exit and one behind the hotel, where dining room customers may see it.

In conjunction with this years theme, In Pursuit of Excellence, the hotel staff invited Hood River celebrity A.J. Kitt to be master of ceremonies for the Festival of Lights.

In the past, its usually been a mayor or a politician, said general manager Paul Robinson. But Kitt fits the theme. Hes lived his life in pursuit of excellence.

Kitt was a member of the U.S. Ski Team for more than a decade. He had 21 top-10 finishes and six World Cup podiums, which included one downhill victory. Kitt was a bronze medalist in the downhill at the 1993 world championship.

The hotel has a tremendous tradition, Kitt said during his brief remarks. It was part of what brought me to live in Hood River.

Kitt said he was thankful Patels company purchased the property a year ago and has continued the extensive holiday lighting display.

Im really excited to be a part of it, he said.

At 5:30 p.m., Kitt started the countdown, Ten, nine before the crowd joined in. As he got to one, a staff member with a walkie-talkie communicated light to other staff positioned near the six switches.

In an instant, the grounds around the historic hotel lit up as the thrilled guests issued screams of joy along with hoots and hollers of appreciation.

Debra Martinez, a resident of The Dalles since 1979, was among the visitors who walked around the illuminated objects outside.

Its a spectacular light display with a little extra pop this year, she said. It celebrates the reopening under new management. Theyve just really changed things around here.

Kay Fortner, the hotels front office manager, was blown away, too.

Its breathtakingly beautiful, she said. Its a lot of fun a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

Jennifer and Dan Peterson, newcomers to Hood River, were enjoying their first Thanksgiving in Hood River with their son, Zane, 3. The family just moved to Oregon from New York City.

Visiting them from San Francisco were Brad and Judy Bruce.

We told Zane the lights went on so Santa could find Hood River, said Judy.

Robinson said the lights will remain in place through Valentines Day. After New Years Day, only the white lights will be lit until Valentines Day, when only the red will be illuminated.

Then the strings will be removed and stored for another eight months.

The hotel staff didnt use all 4,000 boxes of lights, and is offering some of the leftovers for sale. One-hundred light strings measuring 10.5 meters are $12 and 200-light sets measuring 20.5 meters are $22. They are available in red, white and blue.

Robinson also is excited about the special glasses the hotel has for sale at the front desk. Made with plastic lenses in paper frames similar to the 3-D glasses passed out at theaters the $3 glasses allow the wearer to see holiday figures while viewing the lighting display. Some have snowmen, others have angels and reindeer.

Theyre just kind of fun, Robinson said.