'Lights Spectacular' brightens holiday

JOHNSON CITY, Texas (KXAN) - It's Christmas in the Texas Hill Country and that means one thing: lights, lights and more lights.

It also means Hallie Woodard, 8, took her yearly trip to see more than a million lights that adorn buildings and businesses in Johnson City as part of the 20th Annual Lights Spectacular.

"I'm very lucky to be out here and to see the pretty view of them," said Woodard.  "They're awesome."

The Blanco County Courthouse, adorned in almost 200,000 twinkling lights, was the main attraction for Hill Country folks and Austinites this week.

"I like the lights because I like when you get to spin around in the trees," said Isaiah Sanchez, who played in the lights with his brothers, sisters and cousins. "I liked it because it looked like their were starts on the courthouse."

"[I like] how they're put up and down on the courthouse and how they decorated it," Woodard explained.

Area businesses also had show stopping storefronts that were dripping in decorations.

Not to be outshone, Pedernales Electric Cooperative employees had their headquarters looking merry with more than a million lights strung on their trees--turning the front lawn and part of Avenue F into a lighted forest.

Kids weren't the only ones who got to enjoy the larger-than-life light displays, older folks, especially grandparents, got in on the fun too.

"My family has made a tradition of coming out here every Christmas and so we thought what a great thing to have to bring him out for his first Christmas," said Francisco Alvarez, while holding is grandson Noah Santibanez. "He was really excited when he saw the lights."

Kristy Vance, who admitted that her family typically goes to Zilker in Austin, took her family to Johnson City to spruce up their holiday season.

"The lights are just awesome and all the kids are just in awe of all the amount of lights," said Vance, while holding her infant son.  "It's just beautiful. It's very calm and peaceful."

The Vance family is just a few of the 40,000 estimated visitors to hit up the 'Lights Spectacular' this year.

Folks who didn't get to see the elaborate light display shouldn't worry that their chance faded.

The free event, which people can walk by or drive by, lasts through January 1st.