Ticket feature: Taco Box dancing light show draws residents

CNJ staff photo: Liliana Castillo The lights decorating the Taco Box on 21st Street dance in time with music on FM station 88.5. The show runs every 30 minutes between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. nightly.

Freedom New Mexico

Area residents don’t need to travel far to see a dancing light show or hear the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Both are available at Taco Box. The roof of the building on 21st Street in Clovis is covered in lights that are in sync with music on station 88.5 FM. The songs include four pieces by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Owner Tom Martin said he started the show last year.

“I love Christmas, I love lights, and I love the Trans-Siberian Orchestra,” Martin said.

Martin watched the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in Lubbock earlier this month for the 13th time.

The dancing lights coordinate with eight songs this year. Martin said he incorporated children’s songs this Christmas season.

Martin said he saw a dancing light show on a commercial and thought it was rocket science.

“It is rocket science, but that rocket science is available for purchase,” he said.

Last year, the show involved 40 pieces of lights. Martin said he expanded the show to 64 pieces this year.

Free hot chocolate is available before and after the show. The show runs from 5-9 p.m. nightly until Jan. 3. The show lasts about 25 minutes and runs every half hour on the hour and half hour.

Martin said he chose to install the show on the restaurant as opposed to his home because the restaurant has better visibility and parking.

“With all that parking over there (west of the building), it’s like a drive-in movie,” he said.

Since the show started the Monday after Thanksgiving, Martin said there is often a dozen cars at a time parked by the store watching the show.

“The lights alone are good, the music is good. The lights and music together are really pretty cool,” he said.