WEST WAREHAM — In any normal year, thousands of SouthCoast residents would be flocking to Edaville Family Theme Park in Carver this weekend for the traditional Festival of Lights display.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to miss out on a lot of our usual holiday fun, and Edaville is no different, unable to open this season as Massachusetts still has not reached Phase Four of Governor Charlie Baker’s re-opening plan.

But if people can’t enter Edaville this holiday season, one West Wareham man has tried to make up for it by bringing a little bit of Edaville outside the park and into his front yard.

Scott Lakin worked at Edaville full time from 2004 to 2017, and has worked there on a part-time basis ever since. He knows better than anyone that for the people of this area, it’s not Christmas without seeing those millions of lights on display at Edaville Family Theme Park.

“I’ve always had a thing for Christmas lights,” Lakin said. “Since Edaville is closed this year due to the pandemic, I reached out to my old boss and asked her if I could borrow some displays.”

French Avenue, West Wareham
Courtesy Scott Lakin
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Edaville General Manager Brenda Johnson, a longtime park employee and former co-owner, also knows what those light displays mean to local residents and granted Lakin permission to borrow them for this holiday season.

“So I grabbed some trees, a few elves and a couple of other ones,” he said. “Two of the elves are animated; one waves, and the other is building a gumdrop wall.” All of the displays are familiar sights to those who regularly visit Edaville each year.

French Avenue, West Wareham
Courtesy Scott Lakin
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French Avenue, West Wareham
Courtesy Scott Lakin
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Lakin’s yard display, including the Edaville pieces, is illuminated daily from 4:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. at 36 French Avenue in West Wareham. He asks that any visitors be mindful of the neighbors on the quiet cul-de-sac.

“Ideally, just pictures from the street but if they want to get closer, they can,” he said.

French Avenue, West Wareham
Courtesy Scott Lakin
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French Avenue, West Wareham
Courtesy Scott Lakin
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Lakin also said that next year, he hopes to build some of his own displays, as hopefully the borrowed pieces will be back at Edaville and the park will be open for all to visit once again.

Light Up SouthCoast 2020

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