When I first set out to do research on animated Christmas Light Displays in Northeast Ohio, I wasn’t sure how many I would be able to find. What I discovered is that there is a lot of Christmas Cheer in Northeast Ohio!
One of the Must See Light Displays in Northeast Ohio is created by Mike McAndrew of Canfield. I had a chance to ask him a few questions about the display.
All About ‘Canfield Christmas Lights’
The show started back in 2006 and has evolved each year as he’s added more lights, channels, extension cords, and houses to the mix. The placement of props and lights also change from year to year.
For 2012, the animated light show covers 7 houses along the street and contains nearly 150,000 lights! In order to program such a display Mike uses 512 dedicated channels and 3,768 channels of intelligent LED strips.
During the show the entire street comes alive as the lights jump and dance to the music!
I love how Mike describes the experience as “Music telling a story through song and light.” Check out these videos of the display and you’ll agree.
- Dj Schwedes’ Music Box Dancer
- Trans-Siberian Orchestras’ Wizard in Winter
- More Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
- Jingle Bells
The show contains mostly Christmas songs with some top 40 rock songs mixed in and lasts about an hour before the music repeats. I can only image the time and effort that goes into creating a display of this magnitude.
So why does he do it? “To give back to the community. You can either contribute to build a better community or ignore it and wonder where your community went.” It’s definitely a labor of love for Mike.
One of the things he learned from his parents was “It’s not what you have, but the legacy you leave behind.” Just take a look at the comments on the CanfieldChristmasLights.com Facebook page and you’ll quickly see how much joy the display brings to those who have seen it.
Now that’s a great legacy!
Canfield Christmas Lights Show Times
Where: 333 Fairview Ave Canfield Ohio 44406 (directions)
When:
* Sunday – Thursday from 5:30pm until 10pm
* Friday & Saturday from 5:30pm until midnight
Rules:
* Please don’t block driveways
* Turn off your car lights so everyone can enjoy the show
* Sit back, relax and prepare to be amazed!
The “Tour of Lights” in Mahoning County
- Lights over Lincoln Display – 644 Lincoln Ave Struthers Ohio 44471 (directions)
- Youngstown Christmas Lights – 427 N. Hazelwood Youngstown Ohio 44509 (directions)
- Light Show in Austintown Ohio – 3810 Dunbar St. Austintown Ohio 44515 (directions)
- Light Show in Canfield Ohio – 4720 North Aspen Ct. Canfield Ohio 44406 (directions)
- Winter Wonderland in Canfield Ohio – 3946 Montereale Dr Canfield Ohio 44406 (directions)
- Canfield Christmas Lights – 333 Fairview Ave Canfield Ohio 44406 (directions)
Many thanks to Mike for sharing the details about his display. I’ve watched the videos multiple times and am simply amazed by the show and can’t wait to see it in person.
Have you ever seen ‘Canfield Christmas Lights’? If so, what is your favorite part of the show?
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