Photo courtesy of Fresh Air Family
Fresh Air Family’s Wacky Tacky Light Tour returns to the streets of Homewood, Mountain Brook and Birmingham to showcase the best-of-the-worst holiday lights in the area.
With tours on Dec.12, 17 and 19, participants have three nights to see thousands of lights, gravity defying displays, blow-ups and more. In 2023, more than 1,200 people attended the event, and 2024 marks the 14th year in production.
“There are a lot of tacky people and I am proud to be one of them,” said Verna Gates, the original wacky tackier, and executive director of Fresh Air Family.
Fresh Air Family encourages people to dress up, gather friends, family, colleagues and clubs to join in on the holiday joy ride. All tickets support the non-profit, helping them offer more than 400 outdoor educational activities for families throughout Alabama. Signature events include the award-winning Gross Out Camp, Fossil Hunts, school field trips and weekend family adventures.
This past summer, this fundraiser helped provide nearly $62,000 in financial aid to more than 800 summer campers who could not have otherwise attended Gross Out Camp, with 68 camps based in 26 locations across Alabama.
The tours begin at Ironwood Kitchen and Cocktails in Homewood’s Valley Hotel. Tours leave every 10 minutes from 6- 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required, and tickets are $49 each. Private buses are available for groups. Tickets are available at https://www.freshairfamily.org/wackytacky.
“I personally curate the route. My standards are low, and hard to meet,” said Gates.
Houses on this year's route include: Gigantus, Peanuts Skate Park, Dueling Neighbors, Santa’s Trailer Park, Bowling for Penguins and Star Wars Christmas. One house gives a nod to college football, and the Hanukkah House is a favorite with its 14-foot menorah and spinning dreidel. The Hanukkah House has appeared in local, regional, national and international publications for its work against anti-Semitism.
Email Events@FreshAirFamily.org for more information or call 205-540-6642.
