Some of our favorite Jacksonville-area Christmas light displays
Not much chance of snow in Jacksonville this Christmas season, but that doesn’t mean it won’t look like Christmas. With the Thanksgiving weekend behind us, holiday light displays are popping up everywhere, with more arriving almost daily.
Here are some of the best you've told us about so far. We'll update this list as new entries come in. (Want to add yours to the list? Use the form below.)
Add yours: Tell us about the best Christmas lights displays in Jacksonville
More: Best Christmas lights displays in Jacksonville (2020)
Guide: Holiday events in Jacksonville, St. Augustine and more
4204 Garibaldi Ave
Creator: Jack Wheeler
Hours: 6 to 10 p.m.
More than 10,000 lights, including 3,000 that change colors — all created by a 15-year-old ninth grader at Stanton College Prep. The show, synchronized to eight songs on 88.9 FM, includes a dozen leaping light arches, 90 pixel stakes and a 22-foot Christmas tree. Wheeler is collecting donations for Debra of America, an organization that helps people suffering from the skin condition epidermolysis bullosa. Visitors can leave donations in a cash box onsite or scan a QR code to make online donations.
1435 Blackhawk Trail
Creator: Doug Hicks
Hours: 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 to 11 pm. Friday and Saturday
Description: The Blackhawk Bluff neighborhood is ablaze with lights, with Christmas balls in the trees, stars dangling over the street and Star Shower laser lights painting everything with green and red dots. For details, see christmas-star.net or visit the display’s Facebook page.
3710 Beauclerc Road
Creator: Doug Alred
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m.
Description: Nearly a million lights covering the house and surrounding acre, with lots of unique displays. Visitors are invited to walk around the circular driveway to check out the display.
Lights, camera, action: Jacksonville family's holiday lights display featured on ABC's 'Great Christmas Light Fight'
2020
1749 Southcreek Drive in St. Johns
Creator: Ed Smith
Hours: 5:30 p.m. to midnight
Description: Nearly 5,000 lights synchronized to 29 Christmas songs for Smith’s 13th annual show. Visitors can listen to the 90-minute show on the radio by tuning to 103.1 FM. Details and playlists are at southcreeklights.com.
More: Dazzling Nights lights up Jacksonville Arboretum with 'snow,' lasers
More: No money, no problem: 10 free holiday events coming to the Jacksonville area
509 Robles Lane, Ponte Vedra Beach
Creator: Bryan Collins
Hours: 6 p.m. to midnight
Description: The Collins Christmas Display of Florida has its own Facebook page. The display got a full overhaul this year and now has around 2,200 lights programmed to music broadcast at 89.1 FM. The display, in the Sandy Oaks neighborhood of A1A, includes a “mega star,” “mega tree,” cartoon scenes and all nine of Santa’s reindeer.
6905 Simca Drive
Creator: Matt Biegun
Hours: 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Description: A family-oriented show with songs that span the generations. "We're not the biggest or brightest, but we're having a great time sharing this with our friends in Jacksonville," organizers say.
4826 Rathbone Drive
Creator: AnneMarie Jones
Hours: 6 to 11 p.m.
Description: 30-minute animated light show with nine songs. Visitors can tune in to 104.1 FM. New this year is a walk-through display in the side yard.
402-408 Snapping Turtle Court East, Atlantic Beach
Creator: Lee Leibecki
Hours: 6:30 to 11 p.m.
Description: 75,000 lights synchronized to music
3119 Pine Road in Orange Park
Creator: Alexa Gooch
Hours: 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
15912 NE 14th Ave. in Starke
Creator: Lights On 14th
Hours: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday
Description: A computerized, musically synchronized Christmas lights show. Organizers hand out free candy canes and collect donations for Clay Humane.
414 6th Avenue North in Jacksonville Beach
Creator: Susan Rydzewski
Hours: 6:30 to 11:45 p.m.
Description: Colorful, playful LED display.
3 Bonita Drive in Ponte Vedra Beach
Creator: Angie Bridges
Hours: 6-10 p.m.
Description: This display has been growing for the past 11 years, with different themes spread throughout the yard. A North Pole mailbox is onsite for letters to Santa.
7870 Dwyer Drive
Creator: Leon Joiner
Hours: 4 to 11 p.m.
14299 Hawksmore Lane
Creator: Chris Bouton
Hours: Sunset to 10 p.m.
Description: 12,000 lights on 32 channels dancing to music
4568 Royal Port Drive
Creator: Mike Ellison
Hours: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Description: "Mikaylas's Magical Christmas Lightshow" has 48,000 lights on 120 channels synchronized to music, including a military tribute that uses only red, white and blue lights. It also includes a 20-foot "mega tree" with 12,500 lights, a 10-foot spiral tree, nine mini trees and two leaping arches. Visitors are welcome to get out of their cars to enjoy a candy cane, take photos and enjoy the Christmas spirit, or to stay in their cars and tune in to 102.1 FM.
121 E. Duval St.
Hours: 6-10 p.m.
Description: Trees and historic buildings in the Cathedral District on the edge of downtown Jacksonville are lit up nightly for the holiday season. Download a free map for a self-guided tour through the display. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Dec. 9-26, a 15-minute laser show will be projected onto the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception from 6 to 9 p.m.
400 Nocatee Center Way in Ponte Vedra
Creator: Tolomato Community Development District
Hours: 6 to 10 p.m., starting Dec. 5
Description: More than a million lights synced to music and mixed with a few special effects illuminate the Nocatee Spray Park. Shows begin at 6 p.m. and run on the half hour, with the last show beginning at 9:30 p.m. each evening.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Best Christmas lights displays in Jacksonville (2021)
