37th Street (Austin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 37th Street |
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Lights along the street in 2006
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| Frequency | annually |
| Location(s) | West 37th Street between Guadalupe Street and Home Lane Austin, Texas |
| Coordinates | 30°18′05″N 97°44′15″W / 30.301431°N 97.737565°W |
| Years active | mid-1980s to present |
| Participants | Tens of thousands |
37th Street in Austin, Texas, is famous for its amazing Christmas lights displays. Every year, many houses on this street light up with colorful decorations. This fun tradition brings tens of thousands of visitors to the street.
Even though many people still visit, fewer neighbors on the street are decorating their homes now. This is partly because some of the first families who started the tradition have moved away. Also, more students are renting homes in the area, and they might not decorate as much.
Contents
The History of 37th Street Lights
How the Tradition Began
The bright tradition on 37th Street started in the mid-1980s. A few neighbors began hanging Christmas lights across the street. They even used lights left behind by other neighbors or found near the University of Texas. Soon, more neighbors joined in the fun.
One of the first people involved, Bob Godbout, remembered something interesting. He said, "It didn't start out as Christmas lights. It started out as a wild art form and stayed that way." This means the displays were very creative and unique from the beginning.
City Rules and the Lights
In 1993, something unexpected happened. City workers removed some lights that were strung from city poles. They were worried about fire safety. In response, the people living on 37th Street turned off all their lights.
Many visitors who came to see the displays were very disappointed. They complained to the city. Because of all the complaints, the city workers came back the very next day. They put the lights back up, and the tradition continued!
See also
