Video: Holiday spirit lives in Novar

 

For 11 months of the year, it’s an unassuming house near the railway tracks in the quiet community of Novar. But when December rolls around, the home and yard belonging to Greg and Pam Smith are transformed into a dazzling display of holiday spirit.

For the past eight years or so, Greg and Pam and a few dozen friends have been setting up a light show to rival that of Clark Griswold…but better. Meticulously timed to coordinate with the beats and melodies of a variety of holiday tunes, the display is mesmerizing.

The lights―a combination of LED, RGB Pixel, and standard incandescents, 46,000 in all―are all controlled by a computer program. Each song includes a variety of effects. There’s even a towering Christmas tree that displays both images and text. Music plays quietly outside, and thanks to a low-power FM transmitter you can also sit in your car and tune in to the tunes.

There’s a path you can wander down, and a swing where you can pause for a photo. And if you’re lucky, Greg might appear with a basket full of candy canes to wish the carloads―and busloads―a happy holiday. (You might also recognize Greg as the chief engineer of the Portage Flyer train at Muskoka Heritage Place.)

You’ll find the Smiths’ light display on Boundary Road in Novar, just across the railway tracks. They plan to leave it up until about January 5, 2020. Here’s a sneak peek:

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