Season shines

Welcome holiday spirit with a festive journey around South Sound

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published December 15, 2008

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When you think of holiday lights, you think of Christmas trees and Santa. But what about an octopus? Or a giant carrot?

Directions are from one display to another within each segment. Find a map to accompany this list on Page 9 of Sunday's OlyInside.

Cooper Point Road

1) 6625 Cooper Point Road N.W.: It's almost at the end of Cooper Point Road.

2) 3207 Lady Fern Loop N.W.: Head south on Cooper Point, turn right on Kaiser and right on Cedrona. Then take a left on 32nd Way and a right on Lady Fern Loop.

3) 3101 Cedrona Drive N.W.: Go back to Cedrona and head southeast for about a half-mile.

4) 1412 Sunnyvale Court N.W.: Head southeast on Cedrona, then turn right on Kaiser and head south for more than a mile. Turn left on 14th Avenue/Walnut Road Southwest, then left again on Road 65 Northwest, and right on Goldcrest Drive and right on Sunnyvale.

5) 1416 Sunnyvale Court N.W.: Next door to No. 4.

West Olympia

6) 2228 Lakemoor Drive S.W.: Half of the lights are synchronized to music on 93.7 FM. Take Black Lake Boulevard south to Ken Lake neighborhood, turn right onto Lakemoor, and continue north around the lake.

7) 5411 Camelot Drive S.W.: Go back to Black Lake Boulevard and head south for about four miles, continue as it turns into 62nd, take a right on Camelot Drive and drive for about a half-mile. You'll see it on the left just before you reach Delphi Road.

Tumwater

8) 7140 Cavalier Loop (and the Blackhawk Community): Take Littlerock Road Southwest to 70th Avenue and take a right. Turn right on Kirsop, left on 66th, left on Cavalier Street, and right onto Cavalier Loop.

9) 1101 Second Ave. S.W.: Get back onto Littlerock and head past where it turns into Second Avenue.

10) 704 Linwood Ave. S.W.: Go north on Second, turn left Linwood, and go west about a quarter-mile.

11) 532 Eklund Court S.E.: Head east on Linwood to Capitol Boulevard, turn right and head south about a mile. Turn left on X Street, left on W Street/Elm Street, right on V Street and left on Eklund.

Southeast Olympia

12) 3732 Pifer Court S.E.: Take Capitol Boulevard south to North Street and turn left. Go right on Pifer Road, left on 37th Avenue, and right on Pifer Court.

13) 4019 Lake Cove Loop: Go back to 37th and turn right (east). Follow it as it turns into Central, then go left at Middle Street. Middle Street turns into Lake Cove Loop.

Boulevard

14) 3417 Orbit Place S.E.: Take Boulevard Road south to Morse-Merryman and turn left. Then take a right on Amhurst, a left on Longinaker and a right on Orbit.

15) 3625 Gainsborough Drive S.E.: Go back to Boulevard, head south to Log Cabin Road and turn right. Take another right on Gainsborough Drive and a left on Norfolk.

16) 1222 Ninth Ave. S.E.: Go back to Log Cabin and turn left, following as it turns into Cain Road. Go more than a mile to 22nd Avenue and turn left. Bear right as it turns into Eastside Street. Go almost a mile and turn right on Ninth Avenue.

17) 707 Fairview St. S.E.: Continue on Ninth, turn right on Boundary, left on 10th and right on Fairview. It'll be a couple of blocks north.

Northeast Olympia

18) 1241 Devon Loop N.E.: Take East Bay Drive or Puget Street north to San Francisco Avenue, and turn right. Take a left at Bethel, then a left at Devon Drive, and a left on Devon Loop.

19) 1630 26th Ave. N.E.: Get back on Bethel and head north to 26th/Springer, and turn right.

20) 3828 Libby Road N.E.: Continue east on 26th, then turn north on Libby and go for more than a mile.

21) 3508 Windwood Place N.E.: Go back to 26th and turn left (east). Turn left on South Bay, then right again on 26th. Turn left on Lilly, then left again on Windwood.

North Marvin Road

22) 7434 44th Ave. N.E.: Go north on Marvin Road, then turn left on 44th.

23) 6017 Prairie Ridge Drive N.E. (and surrounding neighborhood): Continue on 44th, then right on Prairie Ridge Drive.

24) 7140 Deerfield Park Drive N.E.: Go back to Marvin and turn left (north). Turn left on 50th and right on Deerfield.

Tanglewilde

25) 516 Ranger Drive: Take Pacific Avenue to Ranger Road and turn north.

Lacey

26) 638 Alma Lane S.E.: Take Steilacoom Road east past Dutterrow to Alma Lane.

27) 9442 Marlbrook Loop S.E.: Return to Steilacoom Road and head back west. Turn right on Ridge View Drive, and left on Marlbrook.

28) 7832 Sixth Way S.E.: Go back to Steilacoom Road and turn right (west). Go almost two miles, turn right at Pamela and left at Sixth.

29) 7823 Sixth Way S.E.: Just a little way past No. 28.

30) 2733 Marvin Road S.E. (Messiah Lutheran Church): Go back to Steilacoom, head east to Marvin Road and turn right (south). Go almost two miles.

31) 6927 Holmes Island Road: Go north on Marvin to Pacific and turn left. Go about two miles to Carpenter and turn left. Go about a mile and turn left on Holmes Island Road.

32) 5704 19th Ave. S.E.: Head north on Carpenter and turn left on Shady Lane. Go almost a mile and head right on Lilac, then left on 22nd. Turn right on Sycamore, right on 20th, left on Sulky Drive and right on 19th.

33) 5107 26th Ave. S.E.: Go back to Sycamore and turn left, then right on 22nd. Turn left on Ruddell, right on 27th, right on Brentwood and left on 26th.

34) 5317 Lake Hills St. S.E.: Go back to Brentwood and turn right (south). At Ruddell, turn right and go about 1.5 miles to 54th and turn left. Take another left at Lake Hills.

Yelm Highway

35) 9902 Yelm Highway S.E.: Take Yelm Highway east toward Yelm.

36) 9525 Evergreen Valley Road S.E.: Take Yelm Highway to Meridian Road (the Evergreen Valley Store), and turn right. Drive 1.5 miles and turn left on Evergreen Valley Road.

Southwest Olympia

37) 627 88th Ave. S.W.: Take Interstate 5 south to the 93rd Avenue exit and head left (east). Turn left on Kimmie and right on 88th.

38) 3747 107th Ave. S.W.: Get back on 93rd and head right (west). Go 1.5 miles, turn left at Jones, and go another 1.5 miles. Turn right at 107th.

They're some of the giant illuminated sculptures that are the focus of Gardens of Light, a new exhibit running through mid-February on The Evergreen State College's campus — and the latest additions to South Sound's holiday lights offerings.

The sculptures are a celebration of light during the shortest, darkest days of the year, said Hirsh Diamant, an Evergreen faculty member who is helping to organize the display.

It's part of a freshman class called Living in the Sacred Garden, an exploration of the significance of gardens in different cultures.

Diamant pointed out that festivals of light are common throughout many cultures — Christmas, the winter solstice, Hanukkah, New Year's, Kwanzaa and Divali among them.

Cultural background aside, Evergreen students were having a lot of fun putting up the sculptures last week. They include a goddess, a blue whale, an octopus, a king crab, sea serpents, a dragon and a dragonfly, students said.

"We really want to use part of nature and illuminate it," said Lisa Bartels, pointing to the goddess sculpture, which is being incorporated into a tree. Assisting the students was the project's inspiration, Gene Walker, an Olympia artist who has been making illuminated sculptures for years. They are constructed using a framework of metal tubing, rebar and 2-by-2 lumber, all wrapped with chicken wire and festooned with holiday lights.

"I love Christmas lights," Walker said. But he's tired of just seeing them strung on houses.

The sculptures, which are scattered around the campus, are open to the public and will be there until Feb. 15.

But that's just the start of The Olympian's Tour of Lights this year. Readers nominated 38 other holiday lights displays throughout South Sound that are worth a look. Check out the list, and enjoy the ride! Find a map of the tour on Page 9 of Sunday's OlyInside.