NORWICH – For the last five years, Richard Lindner and his family have been decking out their home with lights and music of all kinds. Over the years, some things have changed, but the Christmas spirit Lindner works to inspire has stayed the same.
With 38,000 lights, the show takes 11 minutes to run from beginning to end, and Lindner says the show runs repeatedly from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The lights are programmed to music. Drivers can tune their radios to 95.9 FM, a station that is broadcast from the Lindners’ basement.
Lindner said he was first inspired to put on the show due to time he spent in Philadelphia when he was younger. Lindner said although the type of show he now puts on was impossible to attempt in the city, he always enjoyed visiting one section of the city, which contained 40 row houses on each side of the street that were decked out with light.
“I decided I wanted to put a smile on people’s faces, like that had done for me whenever I saw it,” Lindner explained.
Although the show is primarily intended to bring out the Christmas spirit, in recent years, Lindner has worked to make the event one that will aid the community as well.
For the second year, Lindner will hold a food drive during the Christmas light extravaganza. Non-perishable canned goods can be deposited in the Thomas the Tank Engine Train. Last year, the Lindners were able to collect 2,800 pounds of food for the Emmanuel Episcopal Church Food Pantry.
Everyone is welcome to attend the show at 121 Warner Road, which is free to the public. Although Lindner said his neighbors are not generally bothered by the event, he asks individuals not to use neighboring driveways to turn their cars around. Lindner explained that Warner Road is a U-shaped road, and if followed to the end, vehicles will make their way back to Polkville Hill Road.