Monday evening, November 30th, 2009, scores of Memphians took brisk walks or bike rides through the Starry Nights light show. With planets, meteors, and other celestial bodies that every sixth grader in Memphis should recognize, Starry Nights begins in the heavens and ends with a prayer: “Peace on Earth.” Themes from nature and the holidays are interwoven through the fanciful exhibits.
The evening was a special event at Starry Nights, one solely reserved for people and pets without their cars. Folks snapped photos standing next to angels, while children took the opportunity to stand next to the giant balls (ornaments perhaps?) as they rolled endlessly downhill.
Starry Nights Attractions
The displays were designed by Reb Haizlip of Haizlip Studio in Memphis. Some emphasize beauty, as with brilliantly lit Christmas trees reflected in Pine Lake. Others contain images alluding to the Memphis musical tradition. Iconic images of the holidays are plentiful, as are inventive ways of highlighting the natural beauty of the park. Brown-leaved trees are magically revived with skeins of green lights twisting through their boughs. Brilliantly lit jays and cardinals hang in the treetops.
The most creative displays fuse symbolism and imagination to tell a story. The GE-sponsored wind power exhibit takes viewers from the elements to a wind-powered house in less than 7 seconds. Scenes of aquatic life take advantage of a dip in the road to create the unusual effect of traveling underwater with fish and sea horses in elf hats.
Undoubtedly the most popular exhibit of the night was “Nature’s Way,” sponsored by First Tennessee Bank. First glimpsed on the way toward the Kapow Gate, it sits on a hill. Viewers must watch the “tree of life” in this display progress through its cycle several times for full effect.
Why LED Lights are Better
Starry Nights may well be the only major light show in the country built entirely with LEDs. The brilliantly lit displays, in every color of the rainbow, are made from 1.5 million energy efficient LEDs – light emitting diodes – which are not the same as compact fluorescent bulbs. As any green advocate can tell you, by saving energy, LEDs reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming thus reducing the guilt associated with squandering electricity during the holidays.
LEDs are extremely energy efficient. A November 20, 2009 Commercial Appeal article, “Time to Shine,” by Don Wade says Starry Nights’ lights will use 85 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs, and “the expected light bill this year: just $1,500.” Moreover, Eric A. Taub of the New York Times reports in "LED Bulbs Save Substantial Energy, a Study Finds" (November 20, 2009) that over the entire life cycle of the bulbs, from manufacture to disposal, they use one-fifth the energy of incandescents.
LEDs are a particularly good choice for saving on energy and costs for anyone who wishes to decorate with holiday lights. According to About.com, “ Saving Energy,” a strand of 50 incandescent bulbs would cost $4.50 (running 5 hours per day for a season of 30 days), but comparable use of a strand of 50 LED lights would cost only 6 cents. Plus, the life span of LEDs is much greater (up to 100,000 hours).
How to Visit Starry Nights
Starry Nights will be open to vehicles through January 2, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Tickets can be purchased at the main entrance off Walnut Grove, but visitors who prefer to enter from Mullins Station Road must purchase their tickets in advance at participating branches of First Tennessee bank. Members of Shelby Farms Park Conservancy with a green member’s card may also enter from the back.
The show is open Monday through Thursday 6 to 10 pm and 6 to 11 pm on the weekend. Prices for Starry Nights are $20/car, $35/minvan, and $150 for tour buses – small price to pay for guilt-free whimsy and magic this holiday season.
Join the Conversation