The work and passion electrifying Macon’s Christmas extravaganza

As is often the case this time of year, Bryan Nichols was up a tree when I talked to him about the Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza. It begins its five-week run Friday at 6 p.m. with a free, live Macon Pops Christmas Spectacular concert at the intersection of First and Poplar streets.

The now-traditional event then runs every night up and down Poplar and Third streets until Jan. 5 with more than 1 million Christmas lights and displays synchronized perfectly to 30-plus songs pre-recorded by the Pops.

Each evening, rain or shine, a 45-minute lights and music program runs at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. with a music-free final hour from 10 to 11 p.m. to take in the lights alone.

It was Nichols who had the eureka idea that gave birth to the Christmas Light Extravaganza and who has been its driving force, brains and brawn since preparations began and the attraction was first presented in 2017.

“It’s going good this year,” he said in a phone conversation from his cherry-picker lift in the trees. “We should have everything ready and working by showtime Friday.”

“Everything” includes the lights, the computer-driven programming, the underground system of wires and cables, the snow blowers, carriage rides, photo spots, Santa visits, the popular live reindeer on Saturday before Christmas – and more. The more includes all sorts of volunteers and the month spent checking 1 million-plus warehoused lightbulbs to see which need replacing for the feel-good holiday experience.

“There’s an important economic side to the lights and how they draw people to Macon and to downtown,” Nichols said. “They come, grab a meal, do some shopping, get some hot chocolate and enjoy the sites. That’s been really successful. But I have to say the biggest reward for me is seeing the smiles on people’s faces, people of all sorts: plumbers, lawyers, black, white, young, old, families and individuals. They’re here, they’re safe and they’re enjoying it together.”

Nichols tells of many marriage proposals he’s witnessed under the extravaganza lights and of individuals who’ve told him they experienced loss during the preceding year and come to the lights again and again to get away from a lonely house and be among the smiling multitudes.

“We never, ever want to make the Christmas lights political in any way,” he said, “but after all the division we went through this past election year, I’m looking forward to people coming together and experiencing the season and sense of community the lights bring regardless of our differences.”

Nichols said it’s that sense of community and goodwill that spurs him and extravaganza volunteers on when hanging lights in the rain, fiddling with wires in the cold or spending the 40 hours per song to program synchronized lights, like Charles Thorogood has been doing for years.

A sizable group of volunteers comes from Northway Church on Zebulon Road, the presenting sponsor of the Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza. The congregation not only provides financial support but about 24 volunteers each night, Thursday through Sunday, over the six weekends of lights. That’s roughly 600 volunteers throughout the extravaganza when you count older kids who come with families volunteering together.

“Boy, Northway has been crucial, not just in their sponsorship, but in supplying what we call block ambassadors to welcome and help visitors,” Nichols said. “I used to feel like I had to be on the street all the time welcoming people. Now they’re there in their green vests to welcome folks. It makes me feel better knowing they’re out there showing people that Macon’s a friendly place that cares about them. I can’t imagine doing this without them.”

Stephen Howard is executive pastor at Northway.

“We want what we do to be for the good of the city, so when Bryan came inviting us to be involved financially and with warm bodies we said yes,” he said. “The Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza is such a great thing for the city on so many levels – economically, for families, and for college kids dating and older married couples. I have a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old and they love walking through the lights. It’s such a tremendous thing.”

Howard said the volunteers are there to give help, information and directions and do other important, neighborly things like take pictures for visitors and let people where the nearest bathrooms are.

And he said if someone is interested in hearing about Jesus and the gospel, they’re happy to oblige.

Christmas is, after all, the celebration of Christ’s birthday.

As to the music and Friday’s concert, there are two new songs added this year: the 1970 Carpenters hit “Merry Christmas, Darling” and an original song, “Happy Holidays II.” In addition to the world-class musicians of Macon Pops, including co-founders Steve Moretti and Matt Catingub, featured players and vocalists include Niccole Kubis, Charles Davis, Trey Denton, Jesse David, Brenda Nicole Moorer and Amy Schwartz Moretti.

“The Christmas Spectacular is always such a blast,” Moretti said. “We just finished some voiceovers a couple of days ago and finalized some of the new recordings. Like with Bryan, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes effort and costs people just don’t think about. There are so many things to do to get ready, but then all the stress just slips away when we get on stage, start playing and get to bring music to the community. It’s fun watching the crowds during the concert and when they’re there out hearing the recorded music on the following nights walking around enjoying the lights. No one is doing what we’re doing in Macon the way we’re doing it.”

You’ll be seeing new Macon Pops “Spectacular” T-shirts at the concert so be sure to pick one up. It’s one way to help defray the costs the Pops voluntarily incur to perform and record for the extravaganza, which is itself absolutely free to the public. Still, T-shirts won’t begin to cover the $65,000 to $70,000 the Pops dish out each year for the event. That’s just one other aspect of the occasion. Don’t worry though, there won’t be any hats passed during the performance, but I don’t mind quoting what the Pops’ website says: “We are so grateful to be able to give our favorite gift to Middle Georgia each holiday season, the free Macon Pops Christmas Spectacular! But we can’t do it without support from you…”

To keep track of what’s going on with the extravaganza, follow it on social media or their website, maconchristmaslightextravaganza.com. For more on Macon Pops, they’re at maconpops.com. More on Northway church is at www.northwaychurch.net.

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One final note of acknowledgment: Macon lost a hero Sunday when Josh Rogers, 42, president and CEO of NewTown Macon since 2014, died tragically and unexpectedly. Rogers was crucial to the development of The Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza but that only scratches the surface. Look around downtown, look around the city, and you’ll see the good fruit of his labor to make each blossom and people and businesses thrive. More details are elsewhere, but a memorial service will be Monday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m. in Willingham Hall’s Toney Auditorium on Mercer University’s campus. Also, an education fund has been established for Rogers’ children. Members of the NewTown board will contribute to the Jack and Ellie Rogers Education Fund and welcome members of the community to do the same at www.newtownmacon.com/donate.

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com. Find him on Instagram at michael_w_pannell.