Watch Upstate New York’s World Record Setting Christmas Light Display

One upstate New York family takes their holiday light display so seriously, and use so many lights, they set a Guinness World Record. It's a 3 hour drive from Utica - but so worth it.

The light display, in the city of LaGrangeville, NY, was started back in 1995 by Tim Gay. Tim says he started it for his kids, and over the years, they have become involved in setting up, choreographing the light show to music, and taking things down when it's all over.

This is the 25th anniversary of the display which began with 600 lights, when Tim's daughter Emily was born. In honor of the anniversary, the light display is adding new features and plans to include 670,000 lights choreographed to 250 songs.

The display set the Guinness World Record in 2013 and again in 2014 for most lights on a residential property. In 2014, the display included just over 600,000 lights.

It takes over 40 miles of extension cords to power all the lights and displays. The display is run by computers with 93 light controllers outside. Tim says he and his kids, and other volunteers invest over 1200 hours of time in getting the display up and running each year.

The display is such a special place, 18 couples have gotten engaged there over the years.

Visitors to the light display are invited to drop donations in buckets, which the family donates to a charity. They've raised $416,575 for charity over the last 8 years.

In 2020, the display will welcome visitors from November 27 to December 27. Tim says dues to COVID, here won't be any stopping and walking in driveway allowed.

If there's anything we all need in 2020, it's a little Christmas cheer. It's a bit of a road trip from Central New York, but totally worth the drive. You can get more information on their Facebook page, or the web page online.