Holiday show in Walker incorporates 70,000 lights

WALKER — Cars snake around Blue Creek Court and spill out onto Highway 920 every night this time of year, waiting up to two hours at times to witness a holiday tradition.

For the past five years, Aaron Maue, a Rockwell Collins project manager who lives with his family at 4942 Blue Creek Court, has spent months planning a Christmas light show that incorporates not only his home, but his neighbors' as well.

'It's my geek outlet. It lets me do design work and technical stuff I don't get to do at work,' said Maue, who has an electrical engineering background.

Maue said he got the idea for the show from a house in his hometown of Breese, Ill, near St. Louis.

'One year we were looking at the house, and we said, we have to do that next year,' he said. 'I'm really in love with the season and that day. And I'm lucky that I married someone who also is insane about the holiday.'

The first year, Maue put up 18,000 lights. This year, there are 70,000.

'I would love to have 100,000 lights but I have to be careful that getting there doesn't take us into the tacky realm,' he said.

The public is encouraged to park and set the radio to 97.1 FM, to hear the music to which the lights are synchronized. The songs range from classics — such as the 'Nutcracker Suite' and theme from 'Christmas Vacation' — to contemporary songs by Brad Paisley and Rodney Carrington, whose 'Camouflage and Christmas Lights' pays tribute to the troops.

Maue begins putting the lights up in September each year, but works all year designing the show, building elements, programming it and choosing music.

'Most of it is DIY, very little is store bought,' he said.

It takes him five weeks to set the show up, and one week to test it.

His entire family gets involved as well; he lets his four children, who range in age from 13 to 6, program parts of the show. They also dress up occasionally as Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves and hand out candy canes to those watching the show from their vehicles. They inform the public on their Facebook page, facebook.com/bluechristmas, when they will be out.

The show runs from the Sunday after Thanksgiving to the Sunday after New Year's Day. This year, it will end Jan. 3.

Maue said his neighbors are incredibly supportive of the show.

'We didn't intend for it to become an attraction,' Maue said. 'We're really thankful for their patience and involvement.'

All of the homes on Blue Creek Court are festooned in lights, and switch on and off as part of the show.

The neighbors also for the past four years have chosen a charity for the show to benefit. This year, it's the ARC of East Central Iowa. Those who view the show are encouraged to put money in a donation box at the end of Maue's driveway. All of the proceeds go to the charity.

As the show has grown in popularity, Maue said he has had to get creative to handle the increased traffic.

'We will shorten the playlist and have an intermission,' he said, explaining how he tries to keep the cars moving.

Maue added it usually is much less crowded during the week, as opposed to the weekends.

'We probably had at least 500 cars last year on the busy nights,' he said.

WANT TO GO? The Blue Creek Christmas show takes place from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 4942 Blue Creek Court, Walker. Take Exit 35 off Interstate 380 and go through Center Point. The show is one mile north of Center Point on the right. Maue requests you don't block driveways and park on the shoulders, not in the middle of the street.   To receive updates, including when Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves are out, go to

facebook.com/bluecreekchristmas.

ON THE WEB

• Watch highlights, hear Aaron Maue speak and listen to reaction to the show by clicking on this story at thegazette.com
• Know of other impressive holiday light displays? Plot them on a map and find other people's picks at 

  http://holidaylights.thegazette.com/