Residential Cedar Park Christmas display attracts thousands
Neighbors on a street in Cedar Park teamed up to create a Christmas light show to remember.
This is the 10th year for the synchronized Christmas light display on Anna Ct. and it's bigger and better than ever. The idea started with three neighbors, but now there are six neighbors involved.
"We were a little scared it was going to be too much when we first started planning all that. Last year we said, 'I wonder if that's going to be too wild,'" said Dan Steiner who helped set up the light show.
The lights start shining on Thanksgiving night, but it takes months of planning and decorating.
"There's 30 trees and each tree takes about a day and a half to wrap, so we start in September," said Steiner.
The result of all that hard work is impossible to miss. The lights are synchronized for 48 songs in a row, making the entire show two hours and 45 minutes long.
"Some are slow, some are fast, he mixes them up so you don't just have to sit here and get blown away the whole time, but I think that's the thing that people are attracted to are the synchronization of all the homes together," Steiner said.
The neighbor's who set up the display only do it for one reason.
"It's all about smiling little kids," said Steiner.
Recently, they found a way to help others with their Christmas spectacular.
"The people started asking, 'Do y'all do a toy drive? You should do a toy drive.' And we said, 'Oh okay.' And we talked to Blue Santa and we've been doing the Blue Santa thing for several years. And then last year, because of the calendar, we turned in everything so early, we thought, 'Wow, what are we going to do with all the rest of the stuff? Not keep it until next year.' So we said, 'Okay, let's go to the women's shelter,'" Steiner said.
Once word got out about the incredible show, people starting coming from all over the area.
"I saw it on Facebook earlier today and I thought, 'That's pretty cool. So where is it?' And I thought, 'Oh that sounds familiar.' And I did Anna Ct, Cedar Park, Texas and Google got me here," said Doug Matthews who visited the display Christmas night
Neighbors estimate about 100 people either walk or drive through to see the lights every hour. And although the street can get a little crowded when it comes to driving or parking, most visitors leave with a smile on their face.
"Nice music, cool weather, I love it. It's good," Matthews said.
The lights run every night from 5 P.M. - 11 P.M. from Thanksgiving night until New Year's Day.
This year the Christmas display raised over $1,000 for Safe Place, the women's shelter, and about 300 toys for Blue Santa.
And, thanks to LED lights, neighbors said showing their Christmas spirit barely affects their electric bill.