Columbia resident Danyette Young remembers when the Symphony of Lights first burst onto the scene in 1993.
Then a teenager, Young saw the holiday lights looming as larger-than-life among the community's holiday displays and traditions.
"It was like the biggest thing going on in Columbia when it happened," said the 38-year-old Young, now a mother of three.
Even after two decades in the holiday limelight, the allure of the 1.4-mile display in Columbia's Symphony Woods park and surrounding forest, featuring 70 towering, animated and stationary light creations, shines as bright as ever.
"You would think after all these years it would get boring, but it's a perfect Columbia tradition," Young said.
Zaneb Beams, an Ellicott City resident and mother of four, agrees.
"I think it's a great tradition," Beams said. "It doesn't lose its charm, and it's good for all ages in different ways."
It's clear that the Youngs and Beams aren't the only county residents who feel this way. The Symphony of Lights, in its 21st year, continues to be an annual holiday draw as evidenced by the long lines of cars that troll by the display during any given December weekend.
The display is sponsored by the Howard Hospital Foundation and is the organization's biggest annual fundraiser, netting more than $1 million in proceeds since it began.
For $20, participants can take a 20 to 30-minute drive through the Symphony of Lights and gaze at the designs formed by its 250,000 strategically placed bulbs.
While the display is known for being a fun and joyful holiday tradition, it takes a lot of work to put it together, says Emily Shreve, special events development manager for the foundation.
Shreve grew up in Ellicott City and recalls seeing the display as a child. What the 33-year-old Thunder Hill resident didn't realize until last year, however, was all the work that went into behind-the-scenes preparation for the show.
"It's quite the experience," said Shreve, who is in her second year with the foundation. "I never would've realized what went into the event."
Shreve said planning begins in February, nearly nine months before the switch on the display is flipped for the first time. It starts with getting permits from the county. Each year, some of the older displays are shipped to North Carolina to be serviced and refurbished by a specialty company.
Then there is all the work, from volunteers and others, that goes into planning the display's various special events, a list that seems to grow every couple years.
It includes Dazzle Dash, a two-part kickoff event that includes a fun-run and walk through the display; Twinkling Tots, a leisurely, family oriented stroll through the lights, with parents pushing kids in strollers and wagons; Tail Lights, a dog-walking event in its fourth year; and Midnight at 7, a family friendly New Year's Eve event.
New this year is Bike the Lights, which allows participants a chance to bike through the display.
Shreve said each event touches a different aspect of the county's population.
Bike the Lights came about at the request of some residents, and Shreve said the foundation eagerly incorporated the community's rising interest in bicycles.
"It's a big component of Howard County, especially with the emphasis on creating new paths," she said. "It goes hand-in-hand with where the county is going. It's a good addition."
Tail Lights is a favorite among the county's dog owners. Shreve said 600 people with 300 dogs attended the event this year. New this year was a costume concert for the pups, which she said was a hit.
The Symphony of Lights remains open through Sunday, Jan. 4 for drive-throughs, and the Midnight at 7 event on Dec. 31 is the last special event on the calendar.
It runs from 5 to 8 p.m. and will include a bonfire, food, music and fireworks.
Shreve said this year there will be Zumba dancers, and that in the future she is interested in expanding the event to include an indoor tent and more activities.
Although Shreve doesn't anticipate the Symphony of Lights going anywhere any time soon, she said changes could be coming as plans for the Inner Arbor Plan and the Crescent – two developments that will bring structures, increased traffic, new roads and more activity to the area – begin to take shape.
Shreve said the foundation is working with the Inner Arbor Trust, the agency implementing the plan to build a curated arts park on 16 acres in Symphony Woods, to ensure the display lives on.
She said the organization is conducting feasibility studies to understand construction timelines and how it will affect the display.
"While the Symphony of Lights may change a little bit, it will still be there," she said.