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A spectacular synchronized lights-and-music show will be on display at Anapau Place in Waikele, part of a neighborhood Christmas tradition. But this time, there’s a $50,000 prize at stake.
Fourteen homes on Anapau Place are vying to win ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” in an episode that airs 7 p.m. Monday. The Waikele neighborhood will compete against neighborhoods in Celebration, Fla., and Gilbert, Ariz.
Show producers saw a YouTube video of the Waikele display and contacted Keith Yoshida, who has been decorating his home for more than 20 years. Their “audition” in July involved a phone interview and video submission.
“We’re representing Hawaii,” said Yoshida, a vice president at Mid-Pac Petroleum. “Hawaii always does its best. The show is going to feature what I would say are some unique things about Hawaii.”
In all, they used about 80,000 lights, significantly more than last year when nine houses participated. More than 5 miles of electrical wiring were installed in September and a TV crew filmed the display in October. The annual public display opened the day after Thanksgiving.
“It was quite an experience,” he said. “We’re a close-knit neighborhood, but this bonded us even closer together and gave us an opportunity to rally around a common goal.”
The Yoshida family, including Keith’s wife, Nalani, and kids, Nevin, 21, and Kaylin, 19, helped out and are featured on the TV show.
Yoshida began his foray into Christmas decorations with a few strands of lights on his lanai, but it eventually became a year-round project. He started synchronizing with neighbors about five years ago. Spectators began donating money, which Yoshida gave to charity.
Last year, about $1,500 was donated and passed on to the Next Step homeless shelter in Kakaako, the Hawaiian Humane Society and PATCH. This year’s charities have not been selected.
The LED light show is powered in part by 230 solar panels on some homes in the neighborhood, which helps offset electricity costs. The lights dance to 18 songs, with nine per night looped every 38 minutes to keep the crowds moving.
If the Anapau Place neighborhood wins on Monday, the prize will be shared among the 14 households. And win or lose, the light show will go on, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. daily until Jan. 8. (The street will be closed to traffic during those hours.)
There will be no light show Monday, however, when “The Great Christmas Light Fight” airs. Visit waikelelights.com.
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