Light Up McHenry hosts first ever lights contest
Visit McHenry County is making spirits bright with first ever countywide holiday lights contest.
Residents looking for some fun and safe holiday activities need to look no further than say, their own neighborhood perhaps. This is the case for Huntley resident Shannon Hill and her family, who have entered their home in the Light Up McHenry holiday lights contest, having been making preparations since before Halloween.
The contest allowed participants to enter their homes into one of five categories which ranged from “White Christmas” (best all white display) to “Blow it Up” (most inflatables per square foot). Visitors can cast their votes for their favorite holiday display on the Visit McHenry County’s website until December 20.
Hill explained that her house is entered in the Disco Fever category and even after the contest ends, she still plans on keeping her music and light display available for visitors to see, until at least New Year’s Day.
“My husband and I met 11 years ago and found out both of us had a crazy love of Christmas! Our wedding included poinsettias and a Christmas tree even! My husband was the decorator of his family home growing up, and I was for our family home, so we both knew our together home would be incredible,” Hill said in an email.
“Throughout the years we have expanded our collection that includes 10 Christmas trees inside our home! We have even been called the Griswolds of our street! This is actually the first year we did a light show though!”
The Hill’s light display does not just stop at Christmas. This year, they also created a lightshow for Halloween, set to the theme of Tim Burton’s 1993 animated movie, The Nightmare before Christmas.
“We decided that this year was so different and hard, and we were not sure how Halloween was going to go. We wanted to make something for families to come and see to bring a little bit of normalcy back! I am personally obsessed with [The] Nightmare before Christmas and all things Halloween, so my husband made all our wooden decorations,” Hill said. “He made Oogie Boogie, Lock, Shock and Barrel, Zero’s doghouse gravestone, the Creepy Christmas Wreath, and he also made our snowman Jack Skellington that is outside now,” Hill explained naming off a few characters from the film.
Hill’s husband not only hand makes and assembles the wooden decorations seen at their holiday display, but according to Hill, “he also is the one who puts together the music list and sits for weeks making sure the lights will fit to the music!”
Hill credits the inspiration for wanting to put on such an extravagant display, to her children as well as wanting to find a way to give back to the Huntley community.
“We moved to Huntley, just almost 5 years ago, and since we got here, the neighborhood we moved into has been incredible. Our community has helped so [much], and we just really wanted to be able to give back in any way possible. Honestly, someone reached out to us to enter this contest, and I’m so proud of my husband, Andrew Hill, who really made my dream a reality. I can honestly say this has been something I have wanted to do since I was a little girl (although I had no idea, we would be able to do lights and music back then),” Hill said.
She added that visitors to their holiday display can tune into radio station, 98.3 FM, to listen to the music that accompanies the lightshow, from the comfort of their cars.
“We also have speakers outside so those walking their dogs or taking a nice stroll can hear it,” she said.
Jaki Berggren, Executive Director of Visit McHenry County, publicly stated that she is excited to end the year on, “a bright, cheerful, fun note.”
Winners will be selected on Dec 21 via Visit McHenry County’s social media channels. The winning prize will be a gift basket of locally sourced, McHenry made items.
Residents interested in visiting the Hill’s holiday lights display can do so at 11815 Niagara Lane in Huntley. To view a map of all other homes participating in Light Up McHenry, visit lightupmc.com.
