Tinley Park Family's Display Wins Great Chicago Light Fight

TINLEY PARK, IL — A Tinley Park family's light display was voted the winner of ABC 7 Chicago's 2021 Great Chicago Light Fight competition this Friday, village officials said.

Scott O'Conner and his wife, Paige, were presented with the award Friday morning after being chosen from a pool of three finalists. Houses from Schaumburg and Naperville were also in the running against the O'Conner's 7414 162nd Place home.

O'Conner told ABC 7 reporters that he took over a month to decorate the property and used about 80,000 lights. When asked why he went to the trouble, the carpenter by trade said he wanted "to make the kids and families smile after the tough year we've been having."

The winner was determined by votes from viewers. According to village officials, the O'Conner family lights received thousands.

"The Christmas spirit is alive and well in Tinley Park," said Village Manager Pat Carr.

O'Conner was runner up in 2019 to the Tinley Park-based "Christmas House," which is put together and managed by Dominic Kowalczyk. Recently, the annual installation has drawn criticism from neighbors for bringing increased traffic and trash to the residential neighborhood.

In a move inspired by Kowalczyk, O'Conner said he is donating any proceeds from the home to Together We Cope, a south suburban social service. Traffic on O'Conner's street has been "steady" so far, he told ABC 7, but he anticipates this weekend will be crowded with visitors who heard about the big win.

Village officials told Patch the O'Conner house won Best Use of Music in the village's independent holiday house contest.

According to the O'Conner Family Lights Facebook page, the home will be lit up from 5 - 10 p.m. each night until Christmas.