Burgess Hill programmer puts on dazzling Christmas Light show set to music in his garden

Computer programmer Adam White, 57, who lives with his wife Liz, is using the attraction to help the Sussex Cancer Fund and Kent, Surrey, Sussex Air Ambulance.

The display at 53 Crescent Road is all synchronised to music and people can select a song from an online ‘jukebox’.

All they have to do is swipe the QR code with their smart phone and pick a tune, Adam told the Middy.

“It’s fantastic technology,” he said. “I didn't write it all myself though. There’s a community around Europe and around the world that does this.”

Adam said this is his first year creating a homemade lights and music show, which has been a ‘labour of love’. He has worked on it since January this year, taking part in weekly Zoom calls with the European Lighting Fanatics for advice and putting in painstaking work with the equipment.

He said: “The technology has not been seen before in Mid Sussex at this scale, being made from more than 12,500 individually controlled lights synchronized to music.”

Adam said he had to do a lot of programming and sequencing, as well as physically push each of the LEDs into the props. To test his skills he also created a prototype show for Halloween with singing pumpkins. This was a success and the pumpkins have now been replaced by singing trees.

Adam said the display has been up for about a week and neighbours have been astounded: “Little children especially. They come by and they’re out there dancing, they’re completely overwhelmed.”

Overall, Adam thinks the light show has come together well and urges people to see it in person to get the full experience.

He said selecting a song is free and people can choose to make a donation if they wish. Adam accepts cash and cards and said he would be thrilled if the total amount raised topped £1,000.

The lights will be lit from 4pm to 9pm every day until the end of the year. To find out more visit www.facebook.com/WhitesLightsUK or watch a YouTube video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZZtltNdJpU.