One of the most popular holiday lights displays in the Metroplex opens Saturday night. This is the 50th year for the Lights at Interlochen in Arlington.
"The big thing is our golden anniversary," says Interlochen HOA's Ralph Sobel. "When it started, there were maybe 20 houses. There was a real estate recession; they needed to bring attention to a new development in what was then a corner of Arlington that had been a flood plain, and a lot of people didn't know about it."
Sobel says seven families who participated in the first light display still live in the same home. Each of those families will get a sign to mark the anniversary.
In 1975, Sobel says the largest displays of holiday decorations in the Metroplex were in Highland Park, north of Dallas, and Westover Hills, near the Joint Reserve Base.
"When we moved here, we kind of heard about it, but we were moving from out of state and didn't know how big it was," he says. "But a lot of people are finding, as younger people move in, often it's people who grew up in the neighborhood. They went to the local elementary school, junior high and high school. They enjoyed growing up here, they want their kids to experience that. They know what they're in for; they know what they want to do."
Sobel says many families moving into Interlochen now seek out the neighborhood specifically to participate in the lights.
"We always say the whole is greater than the sum of the parts," he says. "I don't know of anyplace else that has 200 homes around a two mile circular route and one home leads into the other home."
Many homes in Interlochen look similar from the street, and Sobel says a lot of neighbors work together on decorations.
"There were three houses in a row that were so over-the-top outrageous, the next one said, 'Ditto,' pointing an arrow at the one next to them," he says. "Then the next one had, 'Double Ditto.' They played off each other nicely."
The Lights at Interlochen have become a tradition for many families in the Metroplex. The show officially starts Friday night, but earlier this week, people were driving around the neighborhood to see the homes that had already been decorated.
Arlington Police will direct traffic, and Arlington Public Works sets out signs and barricades to guide people through the neighborhood. Police encourage people to visit from 6 to 10 p.m. December 13 through 25.
Officers will be directing traffic.
"I've got to thank the police," Sobel says. "It's a difficult assignment, the overtime they get for this is not the same as they get for the Cowboys game. It's usually the rookie who doesn't have seniority who gets stuck being out here when it's 48 degrees and raining, but they do such a good job. Most of the neighbors try really hard to express their appreciation. I wish we could get them some liquor or something, but that's probably not appropriate."
Some homes in Interlochen decorate with a Christian theme; others have Santa outside their homes. One house is decorated with inflatable stormtroopers and the Millennium Falcon; another mimics the house from Home Alone. Sobel says several feature the Grinch.
His own house has inflatable Santas and elves in the front yard but also inflatable dinosaurs, a spaceship and an alien with a banner reading, "Merry Christmas, earthlings."
Sobel has also decorated his windows with Christmas trees, elves and a nutcracker doll. Cut-outs of he and his wife hang in one window from the year the Arlington Symphony had to cancel performances and cut-outs of donors were placed in the seats. He and his wife grew up in New York and says the window displays remind them of department stores.
"People I grew up with in New York don't believe it, but there's more diversity on our cul-de-sac than there was in the apartment building in New York," he says. "Everybody was segreated by economics. I don't think people realize there's an Iranian on our block who celebrates Christmas. There are Hispanics and African Americans. We're all looking for the shared meaning of Christmas."
Several UT Arlington professors and staff live around Interlochen, and Sobel says they host a party every year to help international students learn about how Americans celebrate the holidays.
"It's really cool. Very few are Christians, but they're all students. They're used to studying, and they're studying American customs," he says.
The Lights at Interlochen officially open Saturday. Sobel says lightest crowds will be Monday through Wednesday.
Arlington Police urge people to get in line by 9 p.m. and expect, at the busiest times, to spend an hour in line and then an hour driving through the lights.
Officers will direct traffic, and police encourage visitors to use this route:
- Enter the Interlochen neighborhood from Westwood Drive at Randol Mill Road.
- From westbound I-30, take the Fielder Road exit and go south to Randol Mill Road. Turn right onto Randol Mill Road and follow it to Westwood Drive.
- From eastbound I-30, take the Eastchase Parkway exit and go south to Meadowbrook Boulevard. Turn left onto Meadowbrook Boulevard, then proceed to Randol Mill Road. Turn right onto Randol Mill Road and follow it to Westwood Drive.
- All other streets leading into the Interlochen neighborhood will be closed. Motorists will not be permitted to make left turns from northbound Bowen Road onto Westwood Drive or northbound Oakwood Lane onto Randol Mill Road.
- Tour buses and limousines will not be allowed on Porto Bello Court, Waltham Court, or Postbridge Court.
- Traffic can exit the Interlochen neighborhood via Westwood Drive to Randol Mill Road, or by heading southbound on Bowen Road.
"Know before you go" from Arlington Police:
- Traffic must keep right at all times, leaving the left lane open for emergency vehicles and Interlochen homeowners.
- Adults and children must be properly secured with safety belts and child safety seats at all times.
- Consider visiting during the week. Weekends tend to have higher traffic and longer wait times.
- Pack some patience. Expect to wait in line getting into the neighborhood. Once you enter the trail, you will not be allowed to pass other vehicles.
- Use the restroom before getting in line and consider packing snacks / drinks to take with you. If you leave the line for any reason, you will have to go to the back of the line to re-enter.
- No solicitation or sales by any vendors will be allowed from any public roadway or right-of-way.