Johnson Family Christmas Lights Display in Knoxville, Tennessee

The Johnson Family Christmas Lights Show is a yearly tradition in Fountain city. Cars from all over the Knoxville Metro area park in front of the modest residence on the corner of Bluebird and Thrush to see a spectacular display of flashing lights set to the music of Christmas.

Started by Mark Johnson in 1999, the display gradually grew every year, becoming more beautiful and impressive as it evolved. in 2005, the Johnsons decided to use a computer to synchronize the colorful lights to yuletide music, using 40 computer channels to control 15,000 lights.

The show has now evolved into a huge display of over 40,000 lights controlled by 152 channels of Light-O-Rama computer animation. There are three different consecutive ten-minute shows that repeat from dusk until midnight, and visitors can hear the music by tuning their radios to FM 93.7.

The Johnsons don't charge anything to see this wonderful display, and they pay for everything themselves. They do accept donations, as it costs them alot of money to run this display. Local radio station B-97.5 (WJXB) helps fund the annual display.

This light display is truly a labor of love. The beautiful thing about this display is that the Johnsons aren't doing this to make money, show off, to get in the paper, or to win some lame contest. They do it to try and remind Knoxvillians that Jesus Christ is the Reason for the Season.

Please, see this display if you're passing through Knoxville. It is just off the Broadway Exit of I-640. Take the Northbound exit onto Broadway, and take a left at the first traffic light after Blockbuster Video onto Adair Drive. Travel about 2 miles and turn left on Plummer Road, and take the first right onto Glenoaks.

Next, take the second road on the left, Bluebird, until you come to the first road on the right, Thrush. Their house is right there on the corner. Please, however, be considerate towards the Johnson's neighbors. Any loud music, engine revving, peeling out, driveway blocking, or tossing of trash could mean a sad ending to a great Fountain City tradition.

Mark's father Everett also has a great animated Christmas light display, a single 40 foot live evergreen located at 2908 Cross Valley Road in Knoxville, just off Washington Pike, a few miles past Knoxville Center Mall. See them both; It will be worth it!