Arts & Entertainment

VIDEO: High Schooler Puts On Light Show For Charity

Riverside Terrace home with 45,000 lights timed to music

He started planning in July, mapping out a strategy for once again turning his parent's Riverside Terrace home into a Christmas light display.

senior Nik Duritza, along with the help of his father, Doug, began implementing the plans for this year's light show in September, adding little by little as each had time.

It is the third year running that Duritza has turned his parent's home into a light show spectacular, timed to music. Each year gets a little bigger.

Find out what's happening in Wallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This year's show smashes Duritza's in magnatude, using more than twice the number of lights -- he estimates there are about 45,000 -- and with the inclusion of three 25-foot toy soldiers that have entered the show.

The Christmas-themed light show is once again set to music, which viewers can hear from their car radios thanks to a low-power FM transmitter Duritza acquired for last year's show. But there are eight instead of five songs for this year's performance.

Find out what's happening in Wallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Duritza does it all for charity. The high school senior is trying to raise money for the Snowflake Project, a charity organized at Wall High School that raises money for needy families. Last year, Duritza said he raised about $4,000 for the charity.

This year, he hopes to bring in $5,000.

"It's really for a good cause,'' Duritza said. "The families really appreciate all the help we can give. If I could hit $5,000, that would be absolutely tremendous.''

There is a donation box near a lighted explanation of the show where viewers can drop off cash donations securely. 

The light show runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and until 11 p.m. weekends at 2409 Riverside Terrace.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here