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Lights of Wonder

A free Halloween & Christmas light show, synced to music, right on Del Amo in Lakewood.

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  • Freeno tickets
  • Every nightin season
  • Hand-sequencedevery song

Two seasons, one house

Showtimes

Now showing

Halloween

October

Every night · 6:30 – 10:30 PM

The full show loops about every 12 minutes, so come any time.

Now showing

Christmas

November – December

Every night · 5:30 – 10:30 PM

The full show loops about every 20 minutes, so come any time.

Come see it

Visit

3538 Del Amo Blvd
Lakewood, CA 90712

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Good to know

  • Watch from the sidewalk or the grass. Both are fine, so get comfortable.
  • Parking is limited. It's a neighbourhood street, so there may not be many spaces nearby.
  • Please be kind to the neighbours and don't block driveways or the street.
  • The music plays from speakers at the house, so stand near the front for the best sound.
  • Film it and tag us! @lightsof.wonder

The playlist

Songs

Halloween

  1. ThrillerMichael Jackson
  2. This Is HalloweenThe Nightmare Before Christmas
  3. The Phantom of the OperaAndrew Lloyd Webber

Between songs: an eerie loop built from the Smile and Smile 2 soundtracks.

Christmas

  1. What's This?The Nightmare Before Christmas
  2. Christmas Eve / Sarajevo 12/24Trans-Siberian Orchestra
  3. The Christmas Can-CanStraight No Chaser
  4. Seven-song medleyA mash-up of seven Christmas favourites

Between songs: a custom mix of Christmas music, a crackling fire and kids playing.

At the show? Vote for the song that plays next.

Request a song

Tell us what you'd love to see. Every song is sequenced by hand and takes a couple of weeks, so requests go into next season's show.

The house lit up for Halloween, with the projector on the front window

The story

Hi, I'm Andrew.

It started with a family friend. My dad worked with Jeff Haberman, whose Haberman's Holiday Magic show in Long Beach draws crowds every year. Watching it got me hooked, so I asked my dad if I could start my own. He said yes, without knowing what he was getting himself into.

The first year was mostly technical problems: it took a long time just to get the controllers talking to my computer. Year two had its own troubles. Since then it's been smooth sailing, and every season we add something new. Along the way our show even made an appearance in a documentary about Jeff's.

Halloween is my favourite holiday. I was building over-the-top Halloween displays long before the light show, and syncing lights to music turned that into a whole scene. I've always loved making things creatively, and this is my favourite way to do it. Now we run it for Halloween and Christmas, about four years and counting.

— Andrew Dietrich

For the curious

Behind the scenes

At the desk. Sequencing a song in xLights, with the house preview playing back on screen.

Every song by hand

Each show is sequenced frame by frame in xLights, timing every pixel to the music. A single song usually takes a couple of weeks.

The hardware

Two SanDevices pixel controllers and a Falcon controller drive the lights. A Raspberry Pi running Falcon Player plays the show, the projector and the music, which comes from two weatherproofed, locked-down speakers.

Our own show software

We built our own phone app to run everything: start the show, follow the schedule, test any light, line up the sound with the lights, and update songs straight from the computer.

The projector enclosure

A clear plastic box, shaped with a heat gun and cut with an X-Acto knife, with one fan pulling air in and one pushing it out, a swivel mount for aiming, and tidy cable management. Simple and easy to build.

Questions

FAQ

Is it free?

Yes, always. Just show up.

When does it run?

Every night in season. Halloween: 6:30–10:30 PM through October. Christmas: 5:30–10:30 PM through the holidays.

How long is the show?

It loops continuously. The Halloween show is about 12 minutes and Christmas about 20, so arrive any time and stay as long as you like.

Where can I park?

It's a neighbourhood street, so parking is limited. Please don't block driveways or the street.

Where does the music come from?

Two speakers at the house, securely mounted. Stand near the front for the best sound.

Does it run in the rain?

Yes. Rain or shine, the show goes on.

Can I bring a group?

Absolutely. Bring friends, family, the whole crew.

Do you take song requests?

Yes! Use the request form. Each song takes weeks to sequence, so requests go into next season's show.

Do you do Halloween and Christmas?

Both. Halloween runs through October, then the house switches over for Christmas.

How do you make it?

Every song is sequenced by hand in xLights, then played by a Raspberry Pi running Falcon Player. See Behind the scenes, or ask below.

Say hi

Questions, or curious how something works?

Ask anything, from showtimes to how the pixels are wired. It comes straight to Andrew.