NAPERVILLE, IL — Matt Baker, 19, plans for Christmas 10 months in advance. The NIU student and Metea Valley High School alum is the mastermind behind Manchester Lights, a dazzling spectacle of more than 80,000 lights and holiday tunes that has taken over a small cul-de-sac in Naperville’s Brookdale subdivision since 2012.
The display, which helps raise money for Naperville-based organizations Corey’s Goal and Alive Center, got its start in 2011 when Matt, who tells Patch he’s always had a passion for lights and music, was just 11. Baker told Patch he started a small show at his house on the corner and then it expanded to include more of the cul-de-sac a year later.
Picture Source: Courtesy of Matt Baker
