About Lights of Elm Ridge

Hi, I'm Joe Hannon — the person behind Lights of Elm Ridge.

When I was a kid, our next door neighbor (I say "next door," but really our driveways were 300 yards apart with thick woods between) had one of the biggest light displays in the area. We saw it almost every night, and I could always catch the glow through the trees when the leaves fell.

I wouldn't say I was obsessed — but I was definitely enamored and intrigued. Thinking about how to wire all of that up and get it to actually work was genuinely exciting. My brother and I would draw her house on a school-sized chalkboard in our playroom. Those were the days of old school blow molds, C9 AC lights, and everything else that existed in outdoor lighting before pixels and controllers and the internet took over the hobby. She was a true pioneer.

I suppose I kept those memories stored away for 30 years. But for some unknown reason, a part of me who saw those lights in the '80s and '90s wanted to give it a go — but in the modern world. It's equal parts self-satisfaction (proving I could actually do it) and watching the next generation adore the glow and allure of the dancing lights. It brought me so much joy in my youth; I figured it was time to pay it forward.

"I just wanted to put up some lights. Now I have a budget, spreadsheets, and a full project management tool to keep me on track all year long."