Friday, October 2, 2026
When the switch is thrown showcasing the dazzling display of lights and music at 160 E. Lexington Ave., Oceanside residents know the holiday season has arrived.
For eight select nights, which began on Friday, illusionist and entertainer Eric Wilzig once again is transforming the outside of his home into an immersive holiday light show — a 20-minute, elaborate, music-synchronized spectacle powered by more than 20,000 lights and custom-built props.
The remaining dates for the shows, which are free, are Dec. 12, 13, 19, 20, 21 and 23.
The mesmerizing show began as a small hobby during the pandemic and has evolved into one of Oceanside’s most anticipated December traditions — which involves months of planning.
“This is a passion project that really started over Covid when everything got shut down, and I had some free time on my hands,” Wilzig said. “In me and my DNA is being able to bring happiness to people.”
From the outset, Wilzig aimed to create a show for everyone — one that avoids traditional religious music, substituting it with upbeat, widely beloved songs.
“The main thing about our show is that it is a holiday light show,” Wilzig said. “It’s not a Christmas show or a Hanukkah show. It’s for the holidays. We’re not playing Christmas carols or Hanukkah music. We’re playing fun music that people, whatever they observe, can come and enjoy.”
His lawn features a 25-foot mega tree, a menorah, dreidels and other animated elements, paired with special effects like fog bursts, sparklers and snow bubbles — a smoke-based effect that makes it appear as if snow is drifting across the property.
Each year, Wilzig posts online, asking neighbors what songs they’d like to hear. Submissions helped shape this season’s playlist, including music from “KPop Demon Hunters,” a Netflix film that Wilzig said was “extremely popular and a top request,” along with hits by singer-songwriter Benson Boone, who has recently rose in popularity.
“It’s a mix of what people like to hear along with some of my own choices,” Wilzig said.
Long before December arrives, the work begins on a computer. For 10 months of the year, Wilzig sketches the layout of the display, planning where every element will sit.
“It helps me during the year to kind of visualize where I think things are going to go,” he said.
Many of the physical components are custom-built. More than 100 3D-printed Mickey Mouse heads are scattered throughout the yard; window trims are fashioned from cut and drilled PVC pipes; and arches and other props covering the home are all handmade.
“The actual props are not Home Depot or Lowe’s,” Wilzig said. “Everything is a specific thing that would only be at our house.”
But the most time-consuming element, he said, is the sequencing — the coding that makes each light react to each beat of the music.
“While Jones Beach has lights lit up and you can play the radio in your car, our display, and what takes the most time, is wiring and coding every beat of music,” Wilzig said. “The lights do something to the music — they form images in the tree and then quickly move to the window. That’s the whole aspect that makes this hobby a million hours longer than just plugging in lights.”
Each song takes several hours to code, and Wilzig credits friends who help sequence the more complex selections. Before the show goes live, Wilzig also sets the timing for additional effects like fog machines and sparklers.
While the show is free, donation boxes and QR codes are set up on site to give visitors the option to contribute. All money benefits Blood Cancer United, also known as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
“It’s a great charity that relates to so many people,” he said.
Wilzig, who performs magic and illusions professionally, sees the light show as an extension of the joy he brings to audiences year-round.
“I go out and make people smile and be amazed and be like little kids again,” Wilzig said. “During Covid, I got into this hobby of lights and music, which, indirectly, is a similar feeling. It brings smiles and happiness.”
As familiar faces return and new faces attend for the first time, Wilzig expressed hope that the show continues to be a bright spot for local families.
“I’m trying to be a tradition for some families and be a little part of the holiday spirit,” he said.
