Depoe Bay neighbors have a bright idea

For the second year in a row, the hillside behind Trollers Lodge in Depoe Bay has been transformed into a visual extravaganza by some very committed neighbors. Adding more lights and new props including a Merry Christmas sign, some sea stars, two singing faces and a second large tree, the Depoe Bay Lights crew is keeping things fresh for new visitors.

The displays are timed to music broadcast on 92.1 FM. And anyone walking by without a radio can simply press the button on the “No Radio?” sign to play the music through a speaker on the hillside for about five minutes, allowing them to enjoy the show, too.

For this Christmas season, the lights crew has added a number of songs, bringing the total to about 30. New songs for this year will include “A Christmas Twist,” “Boogie Woogie Santa,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “It’s Officially Christmas” and Kermit the Frog singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

The display is made up of roughly 18,000 individually controlled lights, and one of the controllers that helps make all this happen is housed in a see-through box, allowing viewers to take a peek at the technology.

The goal of Depoe Bay Lights is to expand the show each year by adding additional props and music and, as the technology advances, to add the latest and greatest features. An example of this is the “Control The Show” page on the group’s website, where visitors get to vote on the next song to play. 

The show will run through the first of January, available to view from 4:30 to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, and 4:30 to 10 pm Friday through Sunday. Trollers Lodge is located at 355 Hwy. 101, just south of the Depoe Bay Bridge. For more information, go to depoebaylights.com.