Around 40,000 lights are involved in the Hodgson Family light shows. The family events take place every Halloween and Christmas and raise thousands of pounds for Martin House Children’s Hospice.
Light Night might have seen illuminations spread across the City Centre, but if you want a brilliantly intimate light experience, head over to Crossgates. A short walk from Crossgates Station and Shopping Centre, an ordinary three bedroomed corner plot house has been transformed into an ever-changing light and music extravaganza.
The shows began in December 2019. There was even an event in 2020 during Covid, when the Hodgson Family, Dom, Heather and their nine-year-old daughter, took down their fences and worked with the police to enable a socially distanced event. Halloween lights began in 2021.
There is no entry charge to see the lights. Dom is aware that there are families who need free entertainment during the child focussed celebrations of Halloween and Christmas. All children also receive a free sweet treat. However, there are lots of opportunities to show your appreciation and donate: collection buckets, card readers, and an illuminated donation point. To date the family have raised over £60,000 for St Martins. In a week when the news has been full of the financial pressure on hospices, their fundraising efforts are more important than ever. Every penny collected goes to the Hospice. I was worried about the Hodgson electricity bill, but was assured that modern technology means their lights use little energy.
The whole front of the house lights up, coming into view as soon as you turn the corner from Cold Well Road into Orchard Road. You enter the show through the front garden, where skeletons, witches and ghosts have staked claim. Little interactive touches, a button to press for smoke filled bubbles or to make polystyrene balls fly around a skeleton, bring smiles to faces. This is a real family affair where one of the adults will be supervising the front while the other is out the back and their daughter distributes candy.
An illuminated arch, hung with bones and wizards and constantly changing colour, leads you through to the back. Here, illuminated panels, a constantly changing pyramid, and light up faces are synched with a giant screen running music videos. I loved the way the three faces lit up for different singers and joined together for choruses.
Dom is a founding member of ELF (European Light Fanatics). He has had no formal electrical training, gaining most of his knowledge through watching Youtube videos. ELF now has 1500 members and is a platform for sharing knowledge about home- based light displays. The group have developed their own software to enable them to synchronise lights and sound. When Dom first set up the shows, he had to programme every single mouth movement.,
The musical offering is constantly growing, as people suggest new songs and new videos come onto the market. Music can be publicly performed as it’s in a residential home, but Dom needed an exception to be granted by PRS to show he does not need a licence. He has gone on to negotiate an exemption that covers the whole of ELF. Many of the music suggestions have come from his daughter, who often leads the dancing in the sheltered open gravel area in front of the screen.
Halloween sessions continue until the grand finale on October 31st . November is the busiest time of the year for the family as they rush to transform Halloween into Christmas. The Christmas light switch happens on December 1st and shows continue until Christmas Eve. Whilst Christmas Day is all about family and relaxation, they are back again after Christmas with some special themed days. Disney Day is always very popular, in the lead up to New Year. Keep an Eye on their Facebook Page for special events.
The Hodgsons strive to make their events as inclusive as possible. There are sensory sessions with lower noise levels and no flashing lights on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 5pm for half an hour. They also ask that you let them know if you are vegan or vegetarian to make sure any treats are appropriate. The main session starts at 5.30pm and runs until 8pm.
35 Orchard Road, Crossgates, Leeds LS15 7LP
Halloween Lights every night until 31st December
Sensory Session 5-5.30 Main Show 5.30-8
Christmas Lights 1st-24th December
Check Facebook Hodgson Family Lights for times.
Photography by Debbie Rolls.
