This Taylor Swift holiday display is a must see for any Tri-Cities Christmas lights tour

Driving through the Tri-Cities area to look at holiday light displays is a common winter break pastime. You can drive along by yourself, with your family or friends, to see all the creativity strung across people’s yards.

You’ll see classic characters along the way, like Santa, Rudolph and the Grinch. But you’ll likely also see some surprises — like Disney characters, Calvin and Hobbes, or even a snowman massacre.

But if you drive just a few minutes past Richland, to a cul-de-sac in West Richland not far from Endive Eatery, you’ll see a display featuring an icon you might not have expected to crossover to Christmas — Taylor Swift.

The Eras Tour-themed light display at 3702 Mt. Baker Court is a standout this year, and the product of a local family of so-called “Christmas crazies” letting their daughter run the theme this year.

Local family’s Christmas light tradition

Ever since Ron and Danielle Turner moved to West Richland 12 years ago, they’ve been doing an annual Christmas light display in their yard. With five daughters, the ideas flowed and the Christmas spirit led their creations over the years.

Each year has its own theme, determined months earlier. Setup begins in October, when it’s warmer and drier outside, and continues into the winter season.

In past years, themes have included a Christmas tree farm lot, a Christmas tree construction site, an ice skating rink, and several in honor of Richland High School sports teams going to state.

But now, their youngest daughter is a senior at Richland High, and the Turners are considering hanging up the (Christmas) hat. Feeling burnt out, they weren’t entirely sure if they would do a display this year. But eventually they decided to give their youngest daughter, Tiffany, a shot at planning the display.

A Christmas display (Taylor’s Version)

After going to the Eras Tour in Seattle, there was no question about it — Tiffany’s theme would be Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Working with her older sister in Spokane, Tiffany quickly got to work planning out a light display that looks like Swift’s stage.

Between planning, set up involving three to four people for hours every weekend, and perfecting the scene, the Turners estimate around 100 collective hours went into the display, with Tiffany acting as a project manager.

The lights form a wall, meant to emulate the stage at the Eras tour, with panels of different iconography reflecting Swift’s years in the spotlight. You’ll see a guitar and dress from the star’s earlier years, red lips from her “Red” era, 89 for “1989,” a snake for “Reputation,” and so on.

If you tune your radio to the posted station, you’ll find a mix of Taylor Swift top hits and Christmas tracks, so you can jam out like you’re in the audience at the Eras Tour.

But the star of this display is Taylor Swift herself — or at least, the mannequin dressed to look like her, positioned right at center stage.

The Turners told the Herald that the mannequin has been a staple for family pranks for years now. He’s known as Chip, affectionately named after a rather large chip on the mannequin’s head from one of many drops. They say Chip has been everywhere for pranking purposes, beds, showers, camps, etc.

Visit the faux stage in West Richland to see the magic for yourself at 3702 Mt. Baker Court. The display is best viewed from the public street. Danielle Turner said they have visitors come all night, based on the bass she can hear from their cars.

While the family normally enjoys kids’ reactions to their displays, this year, adults are even more emphatic about the setup, according to the family.