Man Behind Extravagant Holiday Light Displays Didn't Always Love It
By Shaun Boyd
FEDERAL HEIGHTS, Colo. (CBS4) - A new holiday attraction in Federal Heights takes holiday light displays to a whole new level. It's called Christmas in Color and includes more than a million LED lights that are synchronized to holiday songs.
"So we have hundreds, probably over a thousand, of these circuits going off and on to the music," said Richard Holdman, the mastermind behind the spectacular light show.
He says visitors sync their radios to the Christmas in Color channel, and as they drive through, the lights are computer programmed to flash to the songs.
"Our snowman, Frosty here, he sings along with the music. We actually have five different mouth shapes so I actually listen to each song and figure how the mouth moves... and then the trees are actually the backup singers."
Holdman started building the display last summer.
"I'm actually listening to Christmas music in July because I actually program the lights."
Among the main attractions is a tunnel the length of a football field.
"We use a certain kind of light where you can control the color of each bulb, and so it can say things like 'Ho Ho Ho' and 'Merry Christmas' and pictures of Santa Clause as you drive through the tunnel."
The dazzling drive-through display is a mile long and one of only four like it in the world. Ironically, Holdman says he hasn't always been into Christmas lights.
"Growing up, my dad made us put up Christmas lights and I hated it."
He got the idea for the drive-through display 12 years ago when he put up animated lights on his own house. It went viral and thousands of people drove by to see them.
"My whole life I've been involved in lighting and electronics and music, and this is where I get to bring all that together."
The display is located in the parking lot of Water World. It opens Friday and runs from 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursdays, and 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday's. Tickets are $25-$30 a car.
Holdman says it is best to purchase them online because they sell out fast.
LINK: Christmas In Color at Water World
"There's always challenges that you run into… but magically it just all comes together."
Holdman also created the Ice Castles in Dillon, which are expected to open the weekend before Christmas.
Shaun Boyd is CBS4's political specialist. She's a veteran reporter with more than 25 years of experience. Follow her on Twitter @cbs4shaun.
