WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — When a stranger drives down a cul-de-sac, the neighbors typically take notice, but strangers have become an expected and welcome sight this time of year on Sage River Court in Wyoming.  

“I wanted to do something like this forever,” Robert Rich said, explaining the reason for all the visitors.

He and another neighbor, Chris Horton, started putting on a coordinated holiday lights show nine years ago. It has since become a treasured tradition, attracting visitors from all over Wyoming and beyond to the neighborhood off of 56th Street SW, west of Ivanrest Avenue SW.

Horton runs the program. He and Rich connect it wirelessly or with network cables to the other neighbors’ homes, with five to nine neighbors participating each year.

Rich took about a week to get all of his lights in place, dragging them to the roof and setting up a pulley system for larger items, like the giant wreath hanging above his garage.

“I’d say a good 16 hours, maybe, because I go all out. I always see one more thing I want to do. Even as the show is going on, I still continue,” he said of the hours he puts in.

His house alone has at least 20,000 lights on it. The display requires a program to run the music, which the neighbors can buy for about $30 per song and includes the licensing for the songs. Visitors tune into the FM radio signal advertised on signs leading into the neighborhood to hear the music synced to the lights display.

Nancy Radcliff moved into the neighborhood three years ago and didn’t realize she had bought a ‘Christmas house’ but did notice the pictures of the home lit up in the real estate listing.

“That first year, we moved in in August. We didn’t really understand it. I had a company put lights on at the last minute. After that, it was like, oh no, we want to be part of this. We have lots of lights now,” Radcliff said.

She has people asking her about the lights now as early as Halloween when they all come by for trick-or-treating.

Despite all of the hours of preparation and coordination, Rich and Radcliff say the tradition has brought the entire neighborhood closer together.

“I really enjoy being outside, talking to people about it because we get so many thank yous. People love it. There are people who come by year after year,” said Rich.

For the Sage River homeowners, the season is all about family, music, lights, and fun. The show started Black Friday and will run through Christmas Day.

You can submit photos of your home’s holiday lights or decorations at woodtv.com/ReportIt and they may be featured on our website.