Kyle Speegle, a 2002 graduate of the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, is bringing holiday cheer to the River Valley once again with his popular Extreme Light Shows, a synchronized Christmas lights display that begins its sixth season tonight at 8005 Bridgewood Lane. 

The show runs nightly from 6 to 10 p.m. and features thousands of lights synced to music broadcast on FM 103.1. This year’s display includes new songs, upgraded effects and several “magical additions,” Speegle said. Guests are encouraged to remain in their vehicles, dim their headlights and avoid blocking driveways while waiting their turn.

Speegle, who also owns Moka Joes coffee house in Fort Smith, began the project during the pandemic as a way to bring joy during a time of isolation. What started as a small, at-home display has grown into one of the largest holiday light experiences in the area.

“Attending UA Fort Smith gave me more than an education,” he said. “It gave me a sense of community. Watching how involved the college was in the River Valley inspired me to find my own ways of giving back.

“As the owner of Moka Joes, I get to serve people every day, and the light show became an extension of that same spirit. It’s grown into a tradition for so many local families, and after six years, it still feels like one small way I can give joy to the community that shaped me.”

In addition to the light show, Speegle runs RedNoseRoutes.com, a free online guide to holiday lights and events across Arkansas and Oklahoma. 

Here’s just a small sampling of River Valley light stops from this year’s map:

• Extreme Light Shows– 8005 Bridgewood Lane, Fort Smith
• Dedmon Holidays– 4375 Fawn Trail, Greenwood
• Lights on Locust– 190 Locust Drive, Greenwood
• Settle Family Christmas– 10904 Cork Court, Fort Smith
• Whimsical Light Shows– 2012 Yukon Drive, Barling
• Creekmore Holiday Lights– Creekmore Park, Fort Smith
• Van Buren Christmas at the Parks– 1764 City Park Road, Van Buren.

Rednose also lists nearly every Christmas parade in the state