The Christmas Lighting Decorators conference in Des Moines, WA delivered inspiration, community, and a few big ideas for what’s coming to the Oregon Coast this holiday season.
There’s a particular kind of energy in a room full of people who share your obsession — the wiring diagrams sketched on napkins, the debates about pixel density, the not-so-humble brag about a controller setup that ran flawlessly through a Pacific Northwest rainstorm. That’s C.L.A.P., and it delivered in full this year.
The Christmas Lighting Decorators conference gathered in Des Moines, Washington — a gem of a waterfront city just south of Seattle — and the setting alone was worth the drive. The Des Moines Yacht Club made for a genuinely picturesque venue: sweeping waterfront views, the kind of backdrop that makes you want to string up some pixels just to see what they’d look like reflected on the water. If you’re going to spend a weekend talking shop about spectacular light shows, you might as well do it somewhere spectacular.
What I love most about this community is what happens between the sessions — the hallway conversations, the reconnections with folks I only see once a year, the shared groaning about the logistics of a particularly ambitious prop build. I got to catch up with a lot of great people this year, and every one of those conversations sent me home with fresh energy.
The presentations were excellent. Creative, technical, inspiring — a good mix of deep dives and big-picture thinking. And yes, there was plenty of laser talk. I’ll be honest: watching a laser-enhanced show demo, I was equal parts impressed and mildly envious. Someday. Someday. 😄 For now, the Depoe Bay Lights Show will have to settle for mere excellence.
What’s coming for 2026
Speaking of the show — we have some exciting things in the works for this season, and I’m genuinely fired up about the direction we’re heading.
- New music — The soundtrack is getting a refresh. Fresh tracks, fresh energy.
- New props — A couple of additions to the display that I think people are going to love.
- New location — This one’s still in play. We are definitely moving, and we’re actively working through the options. More news as soon as we have it.
The location piece is the big unknown right now — but the right spot is out there, and we’re going to find it. The Depoe Bay Lights Show has always been about bringing something genuinely special to the Central Oregon Coast, and wherever we land, that commitment isn’t changing.
Thank you to our sponsors
None of this happens without the vendors and sponsors who support the hobby and the community. I came home from C.L.A.P. with a real appreciation — renewed, honestly — for every company and individual who invests in events like this. Each and every sponsor is genuinely appreciated.
I’m already getting my orders together. The planning cycle starts earlier every year, and that’s probably a sign that this whole thing is getting more serious — which feels just about right.
If you’ve never made it to a C.L.A.P. conference, put it on your list. Come for the sessions, stay for the community. And if you happen to be visiting the Oregon Coast this December, keep an eye out for the Depoe Bay Lights Show. It’s going to be a good one.