Popular ‘tacky light’ holiday house going dark

Because 8720 River Road is retiring from the Tacky Lights Tour.

John and Margaret Whitlock have been lighting up their home for over 25 years. It was a popular “drive-through” destination on the Tacky Light tour with over 250,000 lights and a life-sized nativity.

“It’s been a tradition for our family and our neighbors. But all good things come to an end, and we won’t be doing the lights anymore. Our property manager that has been putting up the lights is retiring, and we figured it’s time for us too,” John Whitlock said.

It took a team to create the light display at 8720 River Road.

Margaret was the “creative genius and procurement director,” Whitlock said. Her brother was the chief installer and maintainer. Two helpers worked part time year-round to repair and restring lights in the garage. John was in charge of inspecting the lights every night and handled the audio-visual projects like the Santa in the Window. They also typically hired four or five helpers each year to put up and take down the lights.

“Over the years, we’ve had no major problems. We did have the baby Jesus taken from the nativity one year very early on, but it was later miraculously returned,” Whitlock said.

The lights on 8720 River Road were so popular, there was often a long line down River Road during the holidays of visitors waiting to see it.

Over the years, The Whitlocks raised over $50,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation with their holiday light display.

“After 25 years of Christmases spent doing lights, it’s a good time to be done,” Whitlock said. “We have grandkids that live in Nashville and are ready to try some different ways to celebrate the Christmas season.”

Whitlock was chairman of the Whitlock Group, a video collaboration company which earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list in 2016 for revenues over $250 million. He sold the company in 2019.

“I’ve done a lot of things in my career and been blessed with some success. But we are clearly most famous for our Christmas lights,” Whitlock said. “No matter where we go, if we run into people that know Richmond, they know the house on River Road with the lights.”

After 51 years of lighting up, Mr. Christmas, real name Frank Hudak, at 2300 Wistar Court has retired from the Tacky Lights tour.

But his neighbor, Richard Bernard at 2302 Wistar Court will be extra bright this year, with many of Mr. Christmas’ lights.

2302 Wistar Court has been lighting up for about 11 years. Bernard and his wife got their start when they found a reindeer and sleigh at a yard sale and put it in the yard next to Mr. Christmas’ megawatt display.

“My wife took one look at it and said, ‘Oh no, we’ve got to do better,” Bernard chuckled.

Now, they’re up to roughly 250,000 lights and have 30 to 40 pieces from Mr. Christmas’ display. 2302 Wistar Court will be collecting for the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, as Mr. Christmas did in the past.

Mr. Christmas himself will make several appearances in his illuminated suit at 2302 Wistar Court throughout the season, with Bernard as Bernard the Elf.

2302 Wistar Court will light up Thanksgiving Day.

The Rock-n-Roll Christmas House at 236 N. New Ave in Highland Springs also won’t be lighting up this year. Owners Steve and Rie Miller hopes to return next year.

7703 Strath Road, also in Highland Springs, says this might be their last year on the list, after decorating for 25 years. Be sure to check it out.

But have no fear, because plenty of houses will be lighting up this holiday season.

On Thanksgiving Day, a few of the most recognizable houses on the Richmond Tacky Lights List will be lighting up for the holiday season.

9716 Wendhurst Drive in Glen Allen and the Phifers at 9604 Asbury Court in Henrico will be lighting up on Thanksgiving.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch has been compiling Richmond’s definitive Tacky Lights list for over 35 years. Houses must have 40,000 lights to be on the list. Some houses light up over Thanksgiving weekend, but many others will be lit by Dec. 2.

We will publish the Tacky Lights List on Nov. 30.

An updated list will run in the Weekend section and online every Thursday. Tacky Lights season runs through New Year’s Eve.