Guilford Man's Amazing Christmas Lights Raise Money For Charity

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

GUILFORD, CT – Perhaps because people know this is the last year to see a Christmas display in town with 65,000 lights on it the holiday attraction is drawing bigger than ever crowds.

Joe Petrowski, who puts the display up outside his 163 Valley Shore Drive home each year, said the media attention that his display has drawn this year has helped bring big crowds to the neighborhood.

The show – called Joe’s Amazing Lights – started in 2007 and that’s also when Petrowski came up with the idea to have visitors donate money to charities.

“Donations have been almost double what they have been last year,” said Petrowski. “I think over the year's people keep telling their friends and family about the display.”

For 20 years, Petrowski has been putting on a spectacular holiday show on his front lawn thanks to technology and a lot of lights.

A decade ago, Petrowski added music to the show – and that’s when the charitable giving aspect also kicked in.

Petrowski has let people know that this year’s show will be the last at the house - as he hasn’t lived there in a number of years so it’s been difficult to keep the display up.

His goal this year is to raise $10,000. The donations will be going to the Make-A-Wish foundation. There is a donation jar at the house.

On Tuesday night there was a line up over a dozen cars on the street at 7 p.m. taking in the show. And more were coming up Valley Shore Drive – patiently waiting their turn.

Petrowski plans to keep the display up until mid-January.

Photo: Jack Kramer