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Light show opportunities aplenty this holiday season

By Staff | Dec 16, 2020

Shawn Linenberger

The city Christmas tree stands in the downtown pocket park in this file photo from 2017. The tree and even more decorations will be put up this week in preparation for the Mayor's Tree Lighting "Drive-by" ceremony Saturday on Fourth Street.

If you’re still planning some field trips to look at Christmas lights, we have another spot you might want to check out.

The George family has a light show this year on North Oak Terrace in the Jackson Heights subdivision. It’s also down the street from another light show that gained notoriety earlier this year when the Chiefs made their Super Bowl run. The Masur family again has a display this year for the holidays as well.

At the George house, the show goes from 5-9 p.m. on school nights and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. There are 11 songs that are split up on different days during the week and then all 11 play during the weekend, according to Phil George.

The Mirror continues to welcome information from local Christmas decoration enthusiasts in creating a directory so motorists can check out the various displays.

Folks at a couple other spots shared information with The Mirror the previous week.

The Sparks Family offers an LED show featuring more than 7,000 lights set to various songs. When motorists visit the house at 109 S. Village Terrace, they can tune their FM stations to 95.3. Music includes Christmas songs, movie melodies and other surprises. Songs start at 5 p.m. nightly.

Whether picking up a pizza or checking out the Christmas lights, locals can see Santa, Frosty and Rudolph in the windows of Gambino’s Pizza, 1208 Front St. until 9 p.m. daily. Santa’s North Pole Express mailbox also is right out front the restaurant.

Anyone with LED light shows or fun outdoor displays is encouraged to email Mirror editor Shawn F. Linenberger with your address or general location (600 block of Fourth Street, for instance) at slinenberger@tonganoxiemirror.com. The Mirror will continue to assemble a listing as submissions come in so residents can embark on their very own holiday driving tours.

Participants should also provide a few details about their displays, if possible, such as whether it’s a light show and what the accompanying FM frequency is for music, or whether it’s a traditional display with lights and other decorations galore. Other good information to include: estimated number of lights in the display, or if anyone features a certain Christmas icon, participants can list the number of reindeer or Santa Clauses, etc., featured in the lawn layout.

Downtown McLouth has community trees decorated in the city park along Union Street, along with the top of the city’s water tower just south of the McLouth school district campus along Kansas Highway 16.

In addition, the Kansas City Renaissance Festival is having its inaugural Knight of Lights drive-thru area 5-10 p.m. near the RenFest grounds, 633 N. 130th St. near Kansas City, Kan., and Bonner Springs.

There still are shows taking place Thursday through Christmas Eve and then Dec. 26-27.­­