The classics from 2007 will be back including "Thiller" by Michael Jackson, "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and "Tubular Bells" from the movie The Exorcist.  A new addition to the Halloween display debuts this season -- Disney's Fantasmic!. 

Fantasmic is a 20 minute sequence where Mickey Mouse uses his vivid imagination to create magical imagery for all to enjoy.  Sourcerer Mickey appears in the opening sequence where Mickey uses his Fantasia skills to call up powerful jets of water.  As Mickey progresses through his imagination, he travels through many scenes including the Fantasmic! theme, Fantasia, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Best.   There are many familiar themes as well as new ones.  As Mickey dives deeper through his imagination, it becomes more treacherous. Evil eyes invade his imagination and stare. Ghosts and spirits appear and fly around.  Even a witch manages to penetrate Mickey's mind and appear.  As she works her brew and magic (and consults her magic mirror for advice), she does everything in her power to take over Mickey's mind and turn his dreams into an overwhelming nightmare!  Is Mickey's imagination powerful enough and strong enough to overcome the evil forces that invade his mind?  The sequence features many simulated special effects including fire, smoke, water jets, fireworks, specialized theater lighting, projections, video, laser, and an atomic strobe.

FarneyLights.com and Forest Park Lights.com is an animated light and music display using Light-O-Rama products.  This year we have over 18,900 lights and 319 channels of computer control.  

Display Hours October 4 - Nov 1st:
5pm - 10pm

The display is located at 1045 Dunlop Ave, Forest Park, IL 60130 

Tune your radio to 99.1FM to listen to the lights.  You should be able to pick up the broadcast within a block or two of the house.  The outside audio turns off at 9pm daily.  However, you can continue to watch the show by tuning your radio to 99.1FM.

We provide the same, standard warning also displayed at many popular haunted houses:  Strobes, fog, frantic and strobing lighting are used periodically during the display and may not be suitable for those prone to seizures. 

Halloween 2009:

Check out what's in store for this year by viewing the teaser video. 

http://vimeo.com/5419935

Here is an example of some of the video I have planned for this year.  The video will mainly be used for annoucements and fillers, but there is limited use synchronized to songs. 

http://vimeo.com/5458806

•  18,976 bulbs
•  About 210 strands of lights
•  319 channels of computer control  
•  227 independent circuits controlled by 16 master control boxes and one computer
•  Extension cord:  2,763 Feet (Over a half mile -- If stretched end to end, they would extend a length greater than 6.5 complete football fields including end zones!)
•  Build time:  2 years programming; 1 year planning, building, and testing to final product. 
•  Setup time:  80+ hours 
•  Run Time:  45 minutes 
•  Radio: 99.1FM
•  Power Needs: 237 amps powered by 14 dedicated 20 amp outlets.
•  Peak current draw of 28,467.75 watts.

• All Lights On Photo Opportunity
  Option 1 on Request Line 
  ~ 30 Seconds
  They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so why not take a picture home with you?  This 30 second sequence gives you a golden opportunity to take the perfect picture of the display.  Say cheese!

•  Thriller by Michael Jackson  
  Option 2 on Request Line
  ~ 6 Minutes
  Having its debut in 2007, this piece plays with color and color combinations both in the graveyard and on the house.   This song gets heavy play during the show and occurs more frequently than other pieces.    

•  This is Halloween from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas 
  Option 3 on Request Line
  ~ 3 Minutes
  Having its debut in 2007, this "flashy" piece often uses the floods for the vocals and produces great contrast and very bright flashes on the house.  Originally programmed for regular flood lights, the flashing was greatly limited due in 2007 due to the amount of time incadescent floods take to turn off.  This is the first time this piece was used with my LED fixtures (instant on/off), and the flashing effect is phenominal.  The LED units are fast enough they could be used for strobing effects.  This song gets heavy play during the show and occurs more frequently than other pieces.      

•  Tubular Bells from the movie The Exorcist 
  Option 4 on Request Line
  ~ 4 Minutes
  Having its debut in 2007, this piece was designed to follow and mimick the rapid flow of this piece.  If you're paying close attention, you'll notice this piece drifts towards the end.  This song gets heavy play during the show and occurs more frequently than other pieces. 

•  Footsteps in the Dust by Midnight Syndicate
  Option 6 on Request Line
  ~ 2 Minutes
  Having its debut in 2007, this piece was designed to provide a spooky Halloween ambience for the yard.  Watch and see the true feeling of Halloween as eerie lighting turns the display into a haunted house ending with heart beats.  This song gets light play during the show and occurs half as often as more popular songs. 

•  Darkness Descends by Midnight Syndicate 
  Options 5 on Request Line
  ~ 2 Minutes
  Having its debut in 2007, this piece was designed to provide a spooky Halloween ambience for the yard.  Watch the color mixes and flows that occur throughout the display which produces the eerie ambience of Halloween.  This song gets light play during the show and occurs half as often as more popular songs. 

• Disney's Fantasmic! 
  Option 7 on Request Line
  ~ 19 Minutes
  Debuting this year, Fantasmic! is a cutting from Disney's famous Fantasmic! show which took over two years to program.  This monsterous, 19 minute sequence pulls out all the stops and pushes the envelope of Holiday lighting.  Watch as Mickey uses his vivid imagination to create magical imagery for all to enjoy.  Over the course of the journey, Mickey plays with powerful water jets, encounters a dragon, a witch, and a magic mirror.  However, when the evil witch Magnificent tries to take over Mickey's dreams, it quickly becomes a battle between good and evil.  The sequence features many simulated special effects including fire, smoke, water jets, fireworks, specialized theater lighting, projections, video, laser, motion lights, and an atomic strobe.  Because of the song length and smoke effects, this song gets very low play.  However, you can request this song anytime on demand by calling the request line.  Click here for additional Fantasmic! promo description.

• Ghostbusters Theme from the movie Ghostbusters
  Option 8 on Request Line
  ~ 4 Minutes
  Debuting this year, ghostbusters is a classic not to be missed!  This piece is not much but beat flashers on the Halloween display, because this piece is designed to feature laser animations.  A late addition this year, this song is one of the few which features synchronized laser.  It's a must see and a hit with the kids.  
  
  

• Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley
  Option 9 on Request Line
  ~ 2 Minutes
  Debuting this year, Purple People Eater is a classic not to be missed!  This beat flasher is light on display features to showcase synchronized laser animation.  Watch the laser show and enjoy the story told in laser animation.  It's a must see and a hit with the kids.  
  
  
  
  
• Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett 
  Option 0 on Request Line
  ~ 3 Minutes
  Debuting this year, this piece is also lighter weight to feature laser animation.  Watch the laser animations of the lab complete with Frankenstein doing the Monster Mash!  
  

One of the new features this year is the addition of a song request hotline.  Patrons viewing the display can call the request number from their cell phone and choose the next song!  It's automated and easy.  Just call in and follow the voice prompts to pick the song you want to hear.  Don't remember what songs we have this year?  Our automated attendant Gus the Ghost will answer your call, and he will be happy to tell you all about the songs we have.   So don't be shy and sit there waiting for your favorite song to come on.  Just call in, sit back, relax, and enjoy as your favorites are played on the display. 

To get the phone number, just watch the LED sign or listen for the number in the announcements.  If the LED sign says "Call Line Busy," then another caller is currently making a request or the system is busy and not ready to accept phone calls.  Wait a few minutes and the system usually frees up. 

Click here for a printer friendly version.

Definitions:

• Song Name - The song title
• Request Number - The number required to request the song using the request line.  When you call the request line, you can press your desired song number immediately instead of listening to the entire phone menu.
• Laser Animation - Some songs feature a 5'x5' animated laser graphic show to go along with the lights. 
• Start Date - Projected date when this song will be available and included as part of the show.  These are projected dates and the actual dates may vary.  Songs are added to the lineup immediately when they are ready. 
• Approximate Length - The approximate length in minutes.  This is useful if you need to know how long before the current song ends. 
• Frequency - This shows how often a song plays in a complete show cycle.  This gives you an idea what songs you are more and less likely to see when you stop by the display.  Keep in mind you can request any song on demand while at the display. 

Synchronized Video

A giant green eye ball, spiders, and flaming pumpkins are just a few of things you will projected in the window.  While video is used predominately for the announcement portions of the display, it also is used during Fantasmic! to project a floating image for the magic mirror. 

Fireworks / Water Jets

The display features three 10 foot poles wrapped with 1400 lights each. The poles are used to simulate water jets as well as firework launches during the Fantasmic! piece.  The fireworks on the roof were built with coroplast and Christmas lights, and they simulate the firework burst.   

Strobes

Over 200 strobes adorn the roof producing the wow sparkle for the fireworks.  In addition, the martin atomic strobe in the yard throws an impressive 3,000 watts of light on the house for a frightening effect.  (A standard light bulb is 60 watts.)

Fog

Periodically, fog is randomly sprayed in the display, but the Fantasmic! piece uses fog strategically.  From creating a creepy atmosphere to capturing light beams from moving light projections, fog greatly enhances the display effects. 

Projections

The display features 8 moving head light fixtures.  6 provide RGB color mixing capable of bathing the house in over 16.7 million unique colors.  They also swing wildly during portions of Fantasmic! to create a spooky light beam in fog effect.  The other lights are loaded with images and project moving images and messages on the house using 500 watts and 250 watts of light respectively. 

Laser

The display features laser shows for portions of some songs including Ghostbusters, Purple People Eater, and Fantasmic!.  These songs occur periodically in the show cycle, and they can also be requested on demand using the phone request line. 

Request Line

One of the new features this year is the addition of a song request hotline.  Patrons viewing the display can call the request phone number and choose the next song!  It's automated and easy.  Just call in and follow the voice prompts to pick the song you want to hear.  Don't remember what songs we have this year?  Our automated attendant Gus the Ghost will answer your call, and he will be happy to tell you all about the songs we have.   Come by the display and try it out!

FM Broadcast

The show’s synchronized audio occurs through speakers in the front yard which shut down at 9pm.  The display is also simulcast on 99.1FM from a transmitter inside the house.  Patrons within 2 blocks of the house can tune into 99.1FM to pick up the display audio 24/7.    

Live Broadcast

Our website has live webcams of the display as well song history and other information.  In addition, the audio is streamed live on the web.  Check it out at http://ForestParkLights.com/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,43/

2009 Videos can be viewed on Vimeo:

(when available)

Halloween 2009 Videos

Halloween 2009 Voiceovers

Hi everyone!   WGN came last night and took news footage of the display.  You can see what they aired here as well as two nice articles. 

These links have since broken in 2010.  I am working on tracking down a copy to post. 

WGN Newscast Aired 10-8-09

http://www.cltv.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=17151585-af5a-44cf-81ac-755bc4f529d1&src=front

WGN Thriller Video in High Def 

http://www.cltv.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=6ff767b8-aa09-45d3-bd5f-9df5b11ff6c2&src=front

WGN Web News Article

http://www.wgntv.com/news/eveningnews/wgntv-forest-park-halloween-lights-house-oct8,0,3379547.story

WGN Reporter's Blog:

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/leshock-value/2009/10/halloween-lights-gone-wild-in-forest-park.html