Light Show Extravaganza Rings In Season This Weekend

It’s a holiday-themed light show, concert, and charity event, with a little bit of block party thrown in for good measure. And it’s happening on Woolley Road Friday and Saturday.

For the sixth year, brothers Brian and Dan Brateris, along with a growing army of helpers, are putting on an 18-minute light show extravaganza at the home of Bill Epp at 2702 Woolley road.

The event, showing at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. both nights, is free and the public is encouraged to attend. Arriving early might be a good idea, Brian Brateris said. Last year, the show attracted thousands.

Assembling the massive show – which includes between 40- and 50,000 Christmas lights, as well as 20 robotic theater lights – began in October, Brateris said.

For the past six years, they’ve been helped by friends Trevor Ferguson, 25, of Bridgewater and Mike Roberti, 25, of Belmar.

The planning and set-up is no small task. But his brother, Dan, is an electrical engineer. So is Ferguson, Brateris said.

“We’ve been working weekends since about mid-October,’’ Brateris said. “There may have been a few weekdays thrown in there too.’’

Inside the house, special electrical panels have been erected to handle the seeming miles of electrical cords and switches to pull off the show. A computer program is behind timing the lights just right, Brateris said.

The light show, timed with a piece of music and lasting about 5 minutes longer than last year, also features a new special effect this year. Brateris is tight-lipped about it, though.

“What I can say is that something like this has never been done on a residential home display,’’ he said.

The annual display, which Brateris promised would be brighter and louder than last year, also will raise money for Challenged Youth Sports, a nonprofit based in Middletown.

Models dressed as Santa’s elves will circulate through the crowd asking for donations, Brateris said. Last year, the event was able to raise $6,000 for the organization, which provides sports leagues for area children with disabilities.

The house owner also is erecting a tent and serving refreshments – corn, hot chocolate, chili, and baked goods -- also free. And between showings on Friday night only, local musician Brian Kirk – of Brian Kirk and the Jirks – will perform an acoustic set, Brateris said.

“It’s accelerating faster than we thought,’’ Brateris said.  “We’re getting ready for something huge this year.’’

The event grew from a display the brothers, who own the deejay company DJ Dan Productions, made with unused lights from their company. A father a friend saw it and offered his more expansive property for the display. It has grown on Wooley Road ever since, Brateris said.

“I’m tying to be a little bit humble here,’’ Brateris said. “But it’s pretty cool.’’