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Dyker Heights Lights 2008: It's ON!
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 15, 2008
Modified Dec 29, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 15, 2008
Modified Dec 29, 2008
Share
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Every Christmas residents of the predominantly Italian-American community of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn try to outdo each other for the most epic light display. And they're certainly not about to let a little economic meltdown spoil the festivities; this year's displays are as spectacular as they were in the year 2000, when the hilarious documentary Dyker Lights was filmed. (It airs again on PBS Thursday night!)
Here's a map of the neighborhood, and if you don't feel like schlepping out via subway, Brooklyn's own Tony Muia operates a tour bus from Union Square to Dyker Heights, with a quick stop in Bay Ridge, where resident Sam Maloof proudly waits outside his blinding light display and welcomes the tour. Every year Maloof employs a crew of four workers to put up the lights; they work from November 2nd to December 5th. And his average electricity bill for December? $5,000. But you can't put a price on a child's wide-eyed look of wonder, now can you?
Once in Dyker Heights, the bus--which broadcasts excerpts from the Dyker Lights film during the ride--stops again and Tony leads passengers around to the most impressive displays in the neighborhood. Finally, the tour culminates with a stop at Mona Lisa Bakery for dessert before heading back to Manhattan.
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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