For the Lashbrook family, maintaining their Christmas light display is a year-round, family project. Their decorated home in Stonegate (off 54) has been an Owensboro staple for over 20 years. From a simple beginning, it has grown steadily every year and now includes 300,000 lights, enough to gain the attention of ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight national TV show in 2014.
The display has many different classic Christmas scenes including a hand built nativity scene, snowman scene, penguin playground, toyland scene, train scene, a 30′ blue spruce decorated with over 12,000 lights, and a 40′ tall oak tree containing over 100 lighted bells that dance to music.
New for this year is 16‘ by 10’ wooden calendar where Santa’s face moves each day as it gets closer to Christmas. “My son actually built that this summer,” Jeff Lashbrook said. “My daughter set up a Facebook page and maintains that.”
Another new scene features two forklifts loading Christmas presents into Santa’s sleigh. “We’re still putting the finishing touches on that one,” Lashbrook said.
If all goes according to plan, the Lashbrooks hope to debut their light show Friday night.
In addition to the Lashbrooks’ house, here is a list of Christmas light destinations in Owensboro compiled by Owensboro Living:
Owensboro Christmas Light Tour “Do Not Miss” List
- Christmas at Panther Creek Park – A drive-through tour around the park featuring 500,000 lights. $3 donation.
- Holiday in the Park at Legion Park – Go walking in the winter wonderland.
- Christmas in Stonegate – The Lashbrook’s house might be the crown jewel, but many others in the neighborhood also decorate. Santa Claus and his helpers will be greeting visitors on December 19, 20 and 21. Hot chocolate and candy canes will be given out. Donations are welcome for local charities in the Owensboro area.
- Stroll downtown – From Santa and his reindeer on the RiverPark Center mezzanine, to the tree at Smothers Park, to the Convention Center, downtown is decorated to the max.
- Griffith Avenue – Many houses along both sides of Griffith Avenue have elaborate decorations.
- 3104 Harness Loop – Decorations surround this house, filling the front yard, both side yards and the back yard as well, which can be seen off Fairview Drive behind CVS. Pull into Harness Loop off Stirrup Loop and tune into the FM station on the sign in the front yard to experience the synchronized light show.
- 2403 Bittel Road – This corner house is decorated every year.
- Littlewood Drive – The dancing Santa is always a kid-favorite.
- Independence Bank main branch – If you need some Christmas spirit during work hours, just walk inside the Independence Branch main branch. The giant Christmas tree in the lobby is a jaw-dropper! It stands 28′ tall (just 2 feet shy of the outdoor tree in Smothers Park) and holds 10,000 lights. The decorated window displays in the entryway are nice as well.
