City lighting contest gets rhythm

Deadline to enter is 5 p.m. today

People are parking and dancing in the street at the Holtmeyer's Jock Jams & Gangnam Style Christmas Light Display at 3023 Mercedes Lane (off Schumate Chapel Road). A YouTube video of the display (screenshot above) accompanies this article.
People are parking and dancing in the street at the Holtmeyer's Jock Jams & Gangnam Style Christmas Light Display at 3023 Mercedes Lane (off Schumate Chapel Road). A YouTube video of the display (screenshot above) accompanies this article.

Rock "n Roll is in control, "Oppan Gangnam Style."

Guitars, music notes and sock hops decorated floats in Jefferson City's Christmas Parade, and now one family's Christmas lights display has onlookers dancing in the streets.

Travis and Ashley Holtmeyer, 3023 Mercedes Lane (off Schumate Chapel Road), have created a wonderland of lights, music and rhythm that leaves you wanting to "shake your groove thing."

According to Travis, "there has been more traffic than we ever expected. It has been a non-stop stream.

"People are actually getting out of their cars to dance in the street."

"The neighbors don't seem to mind because the display is silent unless you have your radio tuned in," Holtmeyer explained.

By tuning a car stereo to FM 96.3, visitors can hear the Holtmeyers' playlist of upbeat musical arrangements, including the hit by South Korean musician PSY titled, "Gangnam Style."

Other songs in the 30-minute mix are, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" "Amazing Grace" and "Hot Chocolate" from the Polar Express movie.

The house and lawn ornaments are loaded with lights that dance right along with the dancing visitors.

Other residents still have time to get in the groove with a lights display of their own.

The deadline to enter the 26th annual Home Decorating contest is 5 p.m. today.

Enter quickly by calling the Parks and Recreation Department before 5 p.m. at 634-6482.

Entrants will be asked for their address, the category they wish to enter and the city ward they live in.

Or, fill out an entry form, most recently published in the Dec. 5 News Tribune, and drop it off at the Parks and Recreation office, 427 Monroe St., before today's 5 p.m. deadline.

Entrants can also e-mail the information to: [email protected].

The first round of judging takes place from 6-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.

Preliminary winners will be published in the Dec. 16 newspaper.

A "Tour of Lights" map in Tuesday's News Tribune will list all competitors, along with those who entered just to be included on the lights map.

The competitive categories are: Best Use of Lights; Best Religious Display; Best Use of Christmas Characters; Christmas Elegance; City's Best (reserved for previous Mayor's Award winners.)

The final judging takes place Dec. 15 and 16, and the overall winners will be listed in the Dec. 23 newspaper.

The 26th Home Decorating Contest is sponsored by the News Tribune, the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, and Cottonstone Gallery and Frame Shop.