Crawford Lights Best Kept Secret of Christmas Season

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

KENNARD – REPORTER’S NOTE: I will be honest — I had never experienced or even heard of the Crawford lights near Kennard. Contacted by the family, I agreed to travel there one evening this week to have a look for myself.

County roads in can be an adventure even in the sunshine, but you don’t go see Christmas lights until after dark, and although the directions were precise and accurate — my wife and I second guessed our sense of direction the whole drive out, as the dense pine trees closed in on our little lane — shiny critter’s eyes peering out at us from time to time.

We saw a sign to turn, then another, then lo and behold, the ground opened up into what I can only describe as a Christmas miracle. Hundreds of thousands of lights, characters, scenes — after the dark drive it felt like we had hit Vegas after hours in the nighttime desert.

Near the front gate in almost freezing temperatures sat the Crawfords: Kevin, Amy, son Jagger and daughter Jordan. They’re out there in the elements, every night the lights are open to the public, inviting, laughing, sharing information and the must-have scavenger hunt list. They are so warm and kind, a little group of Clarences, working hard to earn their wings.

As you drive through the display, you start to lose yourself, as the Christmas music from their home radio station, the singing animated Santa and even a touching nativity scene hit your senses. Asking around, I found out there are a lot of folks who grew up around here who had never seen this display either.

Here is my heartfelt recommendation to go and see this before the season ends. Take kids and grandkids, take moms and dads — it’s enough to get even an old grinch like me in a holly jolly mood.

What began as a small family competition more than two decades ago has grown into a holiday tradition that now draws hundreds of visitors to a quiet stretch of county road near Kennard.

For 26 years, the Crawford family has transformed their property into what many locals simply call the Crawford Lights, a sprawling Christmas display featuring tens of thousands of lights, animated figures, synchronized music and interactive elements designed to create a shared family experience.

The family of four has transformed their country property into one of the county’s best kept secrets for Christmas memories.

“It actually started as a healthy little competition between my dad and myself,” said Amy Crawford. “But when we moved here, we decided to do something bigger for the community so they would have something local to come enjoy.”

Each year, the display expands. The family estimates they passed the 100,000-light mark more than a decade ago and stopped counting after that.

“At that point, it was just too much to keep track of,” Crawford said. “Now we just say it’s a lot.”

The work behind the scenes begins months before the first lights are turned on. Crawford said planning happens year-round, from designing new scenes to figuring out how to improve traffic flow and visitor access. This year, the family expanded the layout to make it easier for vehicles to enter and exit without congestion.

“It takes us months to get this thing going,” she said. “And a lot of planning.”

Every strand goes up by hand, and every strand comes back down once the season ends. The family packs each piece into storage totes, knowing it will all come out again the following year.

“Some days we’re like, ‘Why do we do this again?’” Crawford said. “But then the people start coming.”

Visitors approach the display along a wooded drive before the lights suddenly open up ahead, often prompting laughter, gasps or disbelief from families seeing it for the first time. Music plays through a low-power radio station the family built themselves, allowing visitors to experience the synchronized show from their vehicles.

The display is free to the public, though donations are accepted. Crawford said the family’s goal has always been to create something families can return to year after year.

“We love creating family traditions,” she said.

One of the most popular additions in recent years has been a scavenger hunt created by Crawford’s daughter, Jordan, a freshman at Kennard High School. The hunt challenges visitors to spot dozens of themed figures hidden throughout the display, ranging from classic Christmas icons to pop-culture surprises.

“It started with a light-up pig with wings,” Jordan said. “We called it ‘Find Penelope the Pig,’ and then it just grew.”

Jordan also manages the display’s online presence, handling social media updates and outreach. The family said increased visibility online has helped attendance grow significantly, especially on weekends.

“We went from maybe 20 or 25 cars on a busy night to over 100 cars,” Kevin Crawford said.

While the display includes playful elements such as Santa Claus, snowmen and animated characters, Crawford said her favorite part remains the manger scene placed near the front of the display, featuring vintage blow-mold figures.

“That helps anchor us to the reason for the season, the birth of our Lord and Savior.” she said.

The Crawfords say the reactions from visitors are what make the effort worthwhile. Children lean out of car windows searching for scavenger hunt items, while older visitors often linger quietly, taking it all in.

“We’ve had older people tell us it makes them feel like kids again,” Crawford said. “That really warms our heart.”

The Crawford Lights are open nightly, weather permitting, through Dec. 31. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The display is located at 738 County Road 4640 near Kennard, though visitors are encouraged to follow the driving directions posted on the Crawford Lights Facebook page, as navigation apps may direct drivers to an incorrect turn.