Garden of Lights Guest Services Team Member

At Sandhills Community College, we are committed to the health and well-being of our employees, their families, and children across North Carolina. Recently, we became a Family Forward NC Certified Employer. Family Forward NC Employer Certifications, issued by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s (NCECF) Family Forward NC initiative, designate employers that offer policies and practices that support the health and well-being of working families and children.

Summary

This is a temporary, seasonal, part-time position with multiple openings. Shifts are Wednesday through Sunday, 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., from November 18, 2026 through January 10, 2027, with a maximum of 25 hours per week. The event is closed December 24, December 25, December 31, and January 1.
Garden of Lights Guest Services Team Members welcome, serve, and assist guests at Garden of Lights, one of the college’s premier community engagement events hosted at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens. Team members serve in one of five roles: Ticket Sales, Gate Scanning, Concessions, Exit Staff, or Floater.
Ticket Sales staff sell admission to walk-up guests. Gate Scanning staff welcome guests at the front gate and scan pre-purchased tickets. Concessions staff sell cold drinks, hot drinks (hot chocolate and cider), stuffed animals, light-up toys, and wearables such as socks, hats, and necklaces. Exit Staff thank departing guests, direct them to the shuttle or parking lots, and make sure alcoholic drinks are finished or discarded before guests leave. Floaters support a different area each hour, going wherever crowd demand is greatest.
This is a family event, and the focus of every role is safety and an excellent guest experience. Garden of Lights is a fast-paced event, with new groups of guests arriving every 30 minutes, so team members must work quickly and efficiently while remaining friendly and accurate. Team members are often a guest’s first and last point of contact at Garden of Lights, and their friendly, helpful service is key to the event’s success.
Works as part of the Garden of Lights event team under the direction of the Nightly Event Manager, follows established point-of-sale, safety, and guest-service procedures, and promptly reports any incident or safety concern.
Team members other than Floaters will generally remain in their assigned role for the entire shift but may be reassigned during a shift based on crowd demands and staffing needs, as directed by the Nightly Event Manager.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
Shifts are Wednesday–Sunday, 5:00–10:30 p.m., November 18, 2026 – January 10, 2027 (closed December 24, 25, 31, and January 1), with a maximum of 25 hours per week. Consistent evening and weekend availability is required throughout the season.
All Roles:

• Attend required pre-season training on ticketing and point-of-sale systems, guest service standards, safety, and emergency procedures.
• Check in with the Nightly Event Manager at the start of each shift to receive role assignments, break times, and locations.
• Greet guests warmly and provide friendly, patient, and helpful service to guests of all ages.
• Answer guest questions about the event, and point out restrooms, accessible routes, the shuttle, and parking areas.
• Operate point-of-sale devices, ticket scanners, and other assigned equipment with care; protect devices from weather, drops, and damage; keep them charged and secured at all times; and report any malfunction or damage immediately.
• Stay alert to crowding, tripping hazards, and lost children, and follow established safety procedures.
• Report any incident, injury, lost child, or guest concern to the Nightly Event Manager immediately.

• Ticket Sales: Sell admission tickets to walk-up guests quickly and accurately using the ticketing system; process card and mobile payments (Garden of Lights is a cashless event); and answer questions about pricing, discounts, and event hours.
• Gate Scanning: Welcome guests at the front gate, scan pre-purchased tickets on mobile devices or printed tickets, resolve ticketing issues or direct guests to Ticket Sales, and keep entry lines moving safely.
• Concessions: Sell cold drinks, hot drinks (hot chocolate and cider), stuffed animals, light-up toys, and wearables (such as socks, hats, and necklaces) using the point-of-sale system (cashless: card and mobile payments only).
• Concessions: Prepare and serve hot drinks safely, following food-safety and sanitation procedures; restock products; and keep the stand clean, organized, and attractive.
• Exit Staff: Staff the exit gate, thank departing guests, and direct them to the shuttle pickup or parking lots.
• Exit Staff: Politely ask guests to finish or throw away any unfinished alcoholic drinks before leaving the event grounds.
• Floater: Support a different area each hour based on crowd demand, such as ticket lines, the front gate, concessions, the exit gate, or relief for staff breaks; adapt quickly and learn every role.

• Ticket Sales and Concessions: Close out point-of-sale devices and complete end-of-shift sales reports following established procedures.
• Concessions: Clean and sanitize the stand and equipment, record inventory, and secure remaining products.
• Return point-of-sale devices, scanners, radios, and other equipment to the designated area, and help close and reset guest areas as directed.
• Success in this role will be measured by guest safety, guest satisfaction, accurate sales, care of equipment, efficient lines, reliability, and adherence to procedures.

Qualifications

Required education and experience:
[Indicate requirements that are job-related and consistent with business necessity]

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must pass a background check in accordance with college policy.
• Ability to process card and mobile payment transactions accurately (Garden of Lights is a cashless event).
• Comfortable learning and using ticketing, scanning, and point-of-sale technology.
• Friendly, patient, and professional customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to address guests politely but firmly when enforcing event policies (e.g., alcohol not permitted beyond the exit).
• Strong commitment to safety and the ability to follow procedures and instructions consistently.
• Ability to work as part of a team and move between roles as needed.
• Dependable and punctual, with availability for Wednesday–Sunday evening shifts throughout the event season.

• Previous experience in retail, cashiering, ticketing, concessions, food service, or hospitality.
• Experience working at large public events, festivals, or venues.
• Food handler or food safety certification (or willingness to obtain).
• Familiarity with the Sandhills Community College campus.
• CPR/First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain).

Supplemental Information

Does this position supervise others? No

Sandhills Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, age, ancestry, mental or physical disability, military status or veteran status.