10 Richmond-area Tacky Light houses ready to shine over Thanksgiving weekend

Tacky Lights is an annual tradition where Richmond area homes light up with over-the-top lights, displays and decorations. The Richmond Times-Dispatch has been compiling the annual Tacky Lights List for 35 years.

Many homes will light up on Sunday, but some will start shining on Thanksgiving.

Al and Esther Thompson have one of the most-recognized homes on the tour at 9716 Wendhurst Drive in Glen Allen.

Back for their 26th year, the house features over 200,000 lights and 2,523 homemade decorations that Thompson makes himself with a little help from his wife. They added 50 new homemade decorations to this year’s display.

“It takes about 650 hours to set it up over two and a half months and then taking it all down takes about a month and a half,” said Thompson. “What motivates me to do this is the people that I get to meet.”

The yard is filled to the brim with homemade decorations and lights. A comment box sits out front so visitors can leave a note letting the Thompsons know where they’re traveling from.

“We’ve had visitors from all 50 states and 136 different foreign countries. It’s amazing to be out there. I might be talking to somebody from Brazil, and the next people I’ll talk to are from San Francisco, and I get through talking to them and then there’s somebody from down the street and then the next person I talked to is from Europe. And that’s all in one night,” said Thompson.

Each year, the house kicks off its tacky light run with a Grand Illumination on Thanksgiving night which draws anywhere from 200 to 300 people.

“I tell everybody (Santa) makes a special trip down,” said Thompson. “I personally know Santa Claus, that’s what I tell the kids. He’ll be up on the roof, and we say ‘Do you want to see some lights?’ to get the crowd kind of whipped up a little bit, and then we do a countdown. So you got a couple of 100-plus people all going ‘10, 9, 8,’ and the lights come on and everybody’s cheering, so it’s a lot of fun.”

And that’s not the only house lighting up for Thanksgiving. Here are more homes lighting up this weekend.

9716 Wendhurst Drive, Glen Allen

The Thompsons won ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” a few years ago and continue to draw record crowds every year with their homemade decorations.

The home now has 100% homemade decorations. Al has been very busy in his workshop all year and now has over 2,300 handmade items in his yard with 50 new decorations added this year.

The Thompson’s were featured in “Merry Christmas, America!” by Bruce Littlefield, The TLC show “Crazy Christmas Lights,” CBS Sunday Morning, NBC Nightly News and USA Today as one of the top locations in the country to view Christmas. The “Aerial Wendhurst” video, produced by Daryl Watkins, went viral in 2014 and was seen by millions of people worldwide.

They’ll be lighting up Thanksgiving night with their grand illumination at 5:30 p.m. with special guest Santa Claus.

They will stay lit through New Year’s Eve night.

Check out their website at christmasonwendhurst.com and Christmas on Wendhurst Facebook.

9604 Asbury Court, Henrico/West End

The Phifers are back for their 50th year, lighting up their home at 9604 Asbury Court. Their house is a tacky lights list favorite. The Phifers previously used to light up two houses, including their mom’s house at 9606 Asbury Court, but they have since sold that home. But their house is still a sight to behold with every inch of house and lawn covered in holiday lights. The Phifer’s trademark is a couple of 80-foot trees lit all the way up.

The Phifers light up every Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. with a grand illumination.

The Phifers are on Facebook at A Phifer Christmas.

7396 Kelshire Trace, Mechanicsville

With over 150,000 lights, this interactive display is best experienced with a walk through the driveway. Test your Christmas fortune with the naughty or nice button and step into the holidays with the foot activated keyboard. There is also a scavenger hunt and encrypted Christmas carols. Finally, write a letter to Santa with a return address and you might just get a letter back.

Will light up Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

2302 Wistar Court, Henrico/West End

Lighting up with a whopping 275,000 lights, this Henrico home is too bright to miss. It is located next to Mr. Christmas’ house, who has retired from the Tacky Lights list, and features many of his lights and decorations.

Will light up Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.

3307 Kensington Ave., The Fan/Museum District

This Museum District home has bright rope lights, blow-ups, Hello Kitty, a penguin, a deer, candy canes, star lights and more.

Museum District Women’s Club Tacky Light winner.

Will light up for Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.

Facebook: Trippin’ Breakers, Instagram: @Trippin_Breakers

10340 N. Donegal Road, Chesterfield

Check these DIY decorations in Chesterfield.

From the homeowners: “Over 43,000 lights, all of which are LED. About half of what you see was purchased/donated by our local community needing repairs. We fixed them all up, and they are on display today! We have everything from vintage blow molds, cutouts and wire frames, to brand new sculptures/diy designs.”

Will light up Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.

7610 Sweetbriar Road, Henrico/ West End

This Henrico home is covered in a mix of bright LED lights plus blow-ups and other yard decorations to create a festive Christmas display in the West End. A new addition for this year is a 25 ft snowman.

Instagram: instagram.com/christmas_at_sweetbriar

Will light up Thanksgiving through Jan. 4.

9600 Dove Hollow Lane, Glen Allen

Stop by over in Glen Allen to see this home adorned in 40,000 multicolor lights plus lawn figures.

Will light up Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

12630 Spring Run Road, Chesterfield

208,300 lights adorn this house at 12630 Spring Run Road in Chesterfield. The lights run up and down the house with a waterfall effect.

From the owner: “Our display began in the 80’s with a few strings of lights and two blow molds. The display has grown today to 208,300 lights, 30 homemade light trees and a collection of 430+ blow molds that give the display a classic Christmas feel. From vintage Santa’s and snowmen to Mickey Mouse and friends our display has something for the whole family.”

Facebook: facebook.com/SpringRunChristmasLights

Will light up Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.

7519 Nicklaus Circle, Moseley

Hunter Bottoms, known for lighting up his parents’ popular Brandermill house at 14309 Long Hill Road, now lights up his own house in Moseley with roughly 75,000 lights.

Bottoms has completely covered every inch of his house and yard in lights. The roof is also synchronized to music and transmitted to your car via FV radio. The home features a few of his favorite items that used to reside at his father’s home on Long Hill Road in Brandermill. This home is in the Magnolia Green community off Hull Street Road.

This year, he’s added a tunnel over the entire driveway covered with 10,000 lights.

Will light up Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch will publish the full Tacky Lights List for 2024 in tomorrow’s Weekend edition and online at richmond.com.