Lights on Savannah, featuring two houses in the west Nanaimo subdivision are choreographed to music with two 20+ minute shows alternating nightly. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

LIGHT IT UP

‘You take a blank canvas and turn it into something:’ Nanaimo homes dance in holiday light show

Dec 21, 2020 | 5:29 AM

NANAIMO — A small cul-de-sac on the outskirts of Nanaimo is transformed nightly into a holiday hotspot with near-gridlock traffic.

Rick Scheffers, neighbour Dan Wurth and their families are responsible for an extensive display on Savannah Pl., featuring 26,778 lights spread over the two houses synced to music and videos.

With his background in lighting, Scheffers programmed the elements to cover every second of the seven songs showcased each night. Two unique shows, between 20-25 minutes each, play on alternating nights.

“You go through each pixel, each light for every second to say what’s on or off, what it’s going to transition to say from green to red…you take a blank canvas and turn it into something.”

While some of the process can be automated, it takes Scheffers upwards of 25 hours to program one song.

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The programming of lights to music is just one element to their holiday production, which starts being planned up to a year prior.

“We talk about which songs we want to add and how we’re going to do those elements and which elements will take part and then we’ll start programming,” Scheffers said. “It comes from the love of Christmas and do something for the community.”

Even during the holiday season, Scheffers will add elements and re-program parts of the show. A newly constructed spoked wheel element, hung between the two houses, debuted in mid-December.

Scheffers tied it into the rest of the programmed lights but his first attempt was quickly discarded.

“I was so disappointed in my programming and wanted to make sure it was better for the next day so I was up to 2 a.m. in the morning programming so the next night it would be great.”

Despite the high volume of traffic caused by the display at the end of the quiet cul-de-sac, complaints from neighbours have been non-existant.

Scheffers said he gets a lot of joy and satisfaction out of watching people’s reactions to the display.

“It’s fun…the enjoyment to watch people’s faces, outside and enjoying the show…you don’t get that feeling anywhere else.”

Planning for the 2021 display is already underway and is set to include more lights around the windows of each house, providing additional elements for Scheffers to manipulate to music.

NanaimoNewsNOW hosts an interactive map featuring dozens of holiday light displays across the mid-Island.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley