37th Street in Austin

Last year we went to The Trail of Lights, which is the official Austin light display stationed at Zilker Park. We thought it was pretty corporate, themes are standard christmas types, and we were not that impressed with it. Been there, done that, don't need to go back.

Every year we try to fit in a stroll down 37th Street (it all starts at the Groovy Lube on the corner), a place where you'll see the best lights in Austin. It all completely home-grown, as non-corporate as possible, extremely creative, and always includes artistic commentary on current events. This year (and every other time we've been there), peace signs are a major theme. I'm using small thumbnails here since there are so many pics. Click to enlarge, as always. This yard had a whole "Peace" theme, complete with peace protest march music, anti-war signs, and 2 light displays made from lights and little "cemetery" crosses.

People decorate whatever is already in the yard. Here's a motorcycle with a skull head.

Here's a peace angel metal sculpture made mostly from car parts. That red molten-looking thing is a Buddha, but the camera didn't capture it very well.

Here's a long shot of the street itself.

These next five are from the same house, the most famous decorated house on the block. Everything on the house is decorated in a very creative way, and people follow a path through the back yard that winds back out to the front on the other side. I can't begin to capture it all. Here's the beginning of the trail in the front. Those orange balls are jack-o-lanterns.

This laid-back cat was just part of the display on the porch.

The most amazing thing about this house, is the way the people have used every imaginable type of items to make light displays from. Here, for example, are strings of yogurt and Play-Doh containers.

A reminder that this is all paid for by the homeowner, as the dials on the electric meter spin away. There are clotheslines in the back where people hang money donations with clothespins.

Magicals meds and hot and cold running lights.

The house across the street from this one used to have an erupting volcano and river display. It was magnificent, really, considering that this is not Vegas or anything. Those people must have moved away because the display was not there and had something more conventional. This house put up a big ad for Golden Palace Casino for some reason.

Here's another magnificent motorcycle with pink flamingoes, and another nice pink flamingo habitat with snow made from moving lights behind a sheet.


This stove always has little action figures inside. I didn't notice what this year's theme was.

Check out the boots on this vacuum dude.

This picture really needed flash to turn out, so I messed with the levels and used filters to at least get something. It's a street musician playing the flute by a decorated stop sign.

Here's a link where you can see past displays with the Martha Stewart prison theme and Osama Bin Laden. Also some of the Barbie doll stuff.

Another annual tradition has gone foul. Ever since we played that first track from Jingle Cats Meowy Christmas (Silent Night) for our latest cat Jax, Henry has been smacking Duncan in the face. I don't know what the heck those cats are saying on the record, but it must be a less than charitable message. The track cracks me up every time though, probably because I don't speak "cat". Jingle Cats


- Xmas - Austin -