Frequency annually Participants Tens of thousands | Years active mid-1980s to present | |
Location(s) 37th StreetAustin, Texas | ||
37th Street is a street in Austin, Texas known for its many houses that are decorated with Christmas lights. The tradition attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, though neighbor participation has decreased the past few years due to the economy and original residents having moved away.
History
In the mid-1980s, a couple of neighbors began bridging the street with Christmas lights left by other neighbors and found at fraternity and sorority houses near the University of Texas. Soon, other neighbors followed suit. Early participant Bob Godbout recalled, "It didn't start out as Christmas lights. It started out as a wild art form and stayed that way."
In 1993, city workers removed lights strung from city poles due to fire hazard concerns. In response, street residents turned off all lights, resulting in numerous complaints directed at the city from visitors expecting light displays. City workers returned the following day to reinstall the lights.