Gas up the car, ma: Here’s a 2024 guide to Wichita’s best drive-by Christmas lights

Only two weekends remain until Christmas Day — and this weekend is one of them.

If you haven’t yet participated in one of Wichita’s favorite December pastimes — throwing on the jammies, grabbing a hot chocolate, cramming the family in the car and driving around looking at Christmas light displays — it’s time to reevaluate your life.

This list will help.

As always, lots of homeowners have put up impressive computerized displays that dance to music, and all can be viewed from the comfort of your car. This year, a few favorites have gone away, including the long-running Lights at AbilityPoint, Douglas and St. Paul. But the list is still long enough to run your gas tank down more than once.

Following, you’ll find a guide to many of the most festive drive-by displays in the Wichita area. If you know of another holiday light display that must be seen, email dneil@wichitaeagle.com and we’ll add it to the list.

Central Wichita

Christmas at the McKinneys, 1462 N. Coolidge, near 13th and Woodrow Court: Longtime lights enthusiast Steve McKinney has brought his popular show back for its 27th year in North Riverside. It involves lights that dance in sync to music, but this year, the show is a bit smaller and doesn’t stretch to McKinney’s neighbor’s house. He also is not collecting charitable donations this year but still encourages people who enjoy his show to give to the Kansas Humane Society and HumanKind.

Lights on Longview Lane, 3805 Longview Lane, near Kellogg and Hillside: This “EDM Animated Christmas Light Display,” which Clayton Gossett has been putting up for the past 11 years — and now does so with help from his 14-year-old daughter — is made up of more than 75,000 LED lights that dance along to trippy electronica music found on the FM dial at 106.9. You can usually see bits of it from Kellogg when you’re nearing Hillside from the east. It runs from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 6 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. To avoid traffic jams, the owner suggests visiting on nights other than Fridays and Saturdays and arriving as close to 6 p.m. as possible. His display will run through the end of the year.

The lights at Kennedy Plaza: Saluting soldiers. A waving Santa. A happy snowman. And a swimming dragon that keeps watch in front of Century II. All of the city’s classic, throwback lighted figures are back and can be found on and near Kennedy Plaza. The display also includes a colorful menorah along Douglas on the west side of Century II.

East Wichita

The Marshall Family Christmas Lights, 620 N. Stratford Lane, near Central and Rock: Mark Marshall and his big family have been putting up their display since 2007. Their home is covered in more than 140,000 dancing Christmas lights, all choreographed to Christmas songs found on FM station 97.1. The Marshalls also set out a box at the curb to collect money for charities, and this year, they’ll donate to The Lord’s Diner and St. Anthony’s Family Shelter. The lights are on Sundays through Thursdays until 10:30 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays until 11 p.m. They’ll run through Jan. 5.

Lights on Sharon Lane, 14730 E. Sharon Lane: The family that used to put up the Lights on Valleyview on the west side of town has moved since last year. They’re now on the east side near Central and 143rd St. East. And although they don’t have as many lights as last year, they plan to build the show back up over the years. See their new show nightly from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. with music broadcast onto 90.5 FM.

South Wichita

Lights on Brummett Street, 3721 Brummett, near South Ridge Road and MacArthur: This homeowner, also a dedicated Halloween decorator, always puts up a big, dancing holiday light show, and — though he had some technical problems earlier in the season — it is now up and running and includes some new pieces. The lights are turned on from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tune into 104.1 FM.

Christmas Lights on Gold Street, 5336 S. Gold, near 55th South and Seneca: This longtime display features more than 13,000 dancing lights set to music at 99.5 FM. It’s open from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 5:30 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 31.

Christmas on Westgate, 3720 S. Westgate, near K-42 and South Maize Road: This homeowner’s synchronized light show features 3,000 dancing lights and runs from 5:30 to 11 p.m. nightly. This year, viewers can request songs that the lights will dance to at the show’s website: christmasonwestgate.remotefalcon.com/remote-falcon

French Frye Lights, 1751 S. Volutsia, near Harry and Hillside: These homeowners are in their 10th year of putting up dancing lights. Visitors can text 720-408-7230 and see their name in lights. It runs from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly.

Lights on 45th St., 1802 E. 45th St. South: These homeowners are known for their Halloween decorations, but they also put up a dancing light show at Christmas.

Titus Christmas Lights on Battin, 1850 S. Battin St.: This show near Mt. Vernon and Oliver is put together by Gary and Cindy Titus and their son and covers two homes with lights and yard decorations. It’s all synchronized to holiday tunes.

Lights on Rogers Lane, 2214 S. Rogers Lane: This light display near 119th St. West and Pawnee is one of Wichita’s newest. It starts at 6 p.m nightly. Visitors should tune in to 95.7 on the FM dial to hear the holiday playlist, featuring more than 40 songs.

West Wichita

Lights on Hickory Creek, 1101 N. Hickory Creek: This display is over in the Candy Cane Lane neighborhood and features a light show with synchronized music on 92.5 FM. Santa will be outside Dec. 20-21.

9th Street Lights, 3821 W. Ninth St., near Ninth Street and Zoo Boulevard: This long-running show that features 30,000 dancing lights runs nightly and is open from 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 6 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Lights on Taft, 11508 W. Taft St., near Maple and 119th: This homeowner’s show has been a tradition since 2020 and runs from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursday and from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. New this year: The homeowners are asking people to help choose the songs it will use in the show at lightsontaft.remotefalcon.com/remote-falcon or by scanning the QR code posted in the front yard.

Lights on David Street, 409 N. David, near Central and 119th: This show features a nativity scene, Santa and his reindeer, The Grinch and more. Music is broadcast onto 106.9 FM. It runs from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It will be up through Christmas Day.

Candy Cane Lane, Azure Circle near Central and 119th: One of Wichita’s biggest displays is put together with the cooperation of a whole lot of people in one neighborhood. Candy Cane Lane features at least 18 neighboring houses on the cul-de-sac on North Azure Circle that are completely covered in lights. Lights are usually on from 6 to 10 p.m. nightly, and organizers suggest visiting on weeknights if you don’t like traffic jams. On Saturday, Dec. 14, neighbors at Candy Cane Lane will be collecting toys for the Wichita Children’s Home.

Reindeer Road, Firefly Street, near Central and 119th: Another popular neighborhood display is Reindeer Road, which is set up one street to the west of Candy Cane Lane. This display gets bigger each year too, and it features many houses with lighted 16-foot-tall reindeer in their front yards.

Christmas Story house at 818 N. Cedar Park, near Central and 119th: Fans of the classic movie “A Christmas Story” will love the display at this house near Central and 119th. Put together by homeowner Alan Grossman, it always includes homemade scenes from the famous film, including Santa at the top of the slide, Ralphie in his pink bunny suit, Flick with his tongue stuck to the frozen pole, the famous Red Ryder BB gun, the very “fragile” leg lamp, and the Bumpus hounds preparing to devour the Christmas turkey.

Lights on Wagon Wheel, 309 S. Wagon Wheel: The longtime show formerly known as Christmas on Crestline is no longer at 914 N. Crestline. Homeowner Charlie Byers has passed his big show onto 18-year-old Braydon Stewart, who is putting it up at his house in The Dell, near Maple and Maize. Byers had been putting up his show since 2011 and it featured more than 80,000 neon-colored lights that dance to music at 100.7 on the FM dial. On weekends, Stewart dresses as Santa along with his dad, dressed as an elf, and they greet people who stop by.

Carols on the Court, 1358 N. Aksarben Court, near 13th Street and 135th Street West: This show is interactive, so people who visit www.carolsonthecourt.com can choose their own songs. This year, the homeowners have more than doubled the number of lights they put up. The show is turned on from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It runs through Jan. 1.

Fantastic Flicks Light Show 14902 W. Moscelyn St., near Kellogg and 151st West: In its second year, this display has grown to include more than 8,000 color-changing lights synchronized to music. It’s open from 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly starting through Jan. 4. Tune into the music at 104.1 FM.

Northwest Wichita

Lights on Ocieo, 6726 W. Ocieo, near 49th North and Ridge: Joshua and Mildred Clyborne have once again created their annual display, which includes 80,000 lights. It runs all night starting at 5:30 p.m. daily.

Nearby towns

Sparky Lights, 612 S. Cattail St., Haysville: This homeowner’s show features lights coordinated to 11 different songs that can be heard at 97.3 FM. It’s open through New Year’s Day.

Buesch Lights, 226 S. Wellcrest Circle, Goddard: Music for this dancing show can be found at 89.5 FM. It’s open from 6 to 10 p.m. nightly.

Lights on Cassie, 4423 N. Cassie St. in Maize: This show is back for 2024 and will again allow visitors to choose songs to play by visiting the website — lightsoncassie.com — while at the display. The show is broadcast via 95.7 FM and is open from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 31.

We Sleigh Family Lights, 2537 E. Ventnor Court, Park City: This dancing, synchronized show is now set up on a house in Park City runs from 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly.

Lights on Tawakoni, 10813 SW Tawakoni Road, Augusta: This big drive-through display east of Andover features more than 100,000 lights covering eight acres and features a life-sized stagecoach being pulled by six life-sized horses, a 12-foot “Frozen” castle with all of the characters, and more.. It’s open every night from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Head east on Highway 54 out of Andover. Turn south on Tawakoni Road at Parks Motors and go 3/4 of a mile.

The Griswold House, 1610 Tanglewood Road, Rose Hill: This over-the-top display has been going for 16 years and features a yard that’s covered with lights, displays and more. New this year: The homeowner has added two fire pits. It’s open until 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until midnight Fridays and Saturdays, weather permitting.

Snoopy House of Derby, 563 S. Derby Ave: This house has an “A Charlie Brown Christmas” theme and plays music from the soundtrack from dusk to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from dusk to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Hear the music on 89.5 FM.

Dim this year

Lights on Texas, 11603 W. Texas, near 119th and Maple: This west-side holiday lights spectacular is dark again this year. The owners say they may eventually return.

Christmas at the Glennwalds, 109 W. Poplar, Goddard: This fun ode to “Christmas Vacation,” which even included Cousin Eddie’s camper parked outside of the house and a slightly charred recliner on the curb, is dark this year. The homeowners say they didn’t have enough time to put it together.

Magic of Lights, 7900 W. 61st St. North.: This traveling drive-through show, set up at the Kansas International Dragway, was new last year. It didn’t return for 2024.

Lights at AbilityPoint, Douglas and St. Paul: Last year, the organizers of this drive-through show put on their 27th and final installment.