37th Street is a street in Austin, Texas, known for its many houses that are decorated with Christmas lights.[1][2][3][4] The tradition attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, though neighbor participation has decreased the past few years due to the original residents having moved away and more students renting homes in the neighborhood.[1][4][5]
| 37th Street | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lights along the street in 2006 | |
| Frequency | annually |
| Location(s) | West 37th Street between Guadalupe Street and Home Lane Austin, Texas |
| Coordinates | 30°18′05″N 97°44′15″W / 30.301431°N 97.737565°W |
| Years active | mid-1980s to present[1] |
| Participants | Tens of thousands[1] |
History
editIn the mid-1980s, a couple of neighbors began bridging the street with Christmas lights left by other neighbors and found at fraternity and sorority houses near the University of Texas. Soon, other neighbors followed suit. Early participant Bob Godbout recalled, "It didn't start out as Christmas lights. It started out as a wild art form and stayed that way."[1]
In 1993, city workers removed lights strung from city poles due to fire hazard concerns. In response, street residents turned off all lights, resulting in numerous complaints directed at the city from visitors expecting light displays. City workers returned the following day to reinstall the lights.[1]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Beach, Patrick (December 16, 2005). "It's a wonderful light". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2011. Note: This story was first published on December 12, 1999, and has been reprinted annually since then.
- ^ Mottola, Daniel (December 30, 2005). "Are Partiers Dimming the 37th Street Lights?". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ Mottola, Daniel (December 22, 2006). "37th Street Lights: Will they burn brighter or burn out?". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ a b Vega, Jackie (December 18, 2008). "Austin's spirit illuminates the season". KXAN-TV. Archived from the original on December 26, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ "Meet the owner behind Austin's 'Stranger Things' house". KVUE. Archived from the original on 2018-12-09. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
External links
edit| External images | |
|---|---|
 "37th Street lights" (Austin American-Statesman, 2010) | |
| "37th Street holiday lights" (Austin American-Statesman, 2010) |
- Texas Less Traveled: Light Up Your Life... The Miracle of 37th Street
- Video: "37th Street Lights Shining Bright" (KTBC)
- Fans of 'Stranger Things' have to check out 37th Street in Austin, KVUE
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