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More photos from Sparkleball Street: North Yale Avenue in Fullerton CA
The sparkleball display on North Yale Avenue, which runs almost two blocks long, is a neighborhood effort. It started when Jeff got his first sparkleball from Don's father, who had learned to make them in Nebraska. Jeff started making them and hanging them in his tree at Christmas. Then he cajoled Don to do the same, and now, seven years later, the whole street blinks, whirls, flashes with 450 (as of 2008) sparkleballs. One little girl described it perfectly as she danced under the lights: "It's Christmas Heaven!"
Don and others provide the materials, and sparkleball workshops are held in Don's garage throughout the year. Once a neighbor has learned how to make them, they're on their own. One of the neighbors provides a construction crane for the two-day hanging right after Thanksgiving. Each neighbor pays for the electricity that powers the lights in the trees in front of his/her house-- unless a neighbor can't afford it or their wiring isn't up to the task. Then neighbors pitch in.
Don, Jeff, Bill, Murph, and Robert -- the masterminds behind the display-- say that the only part of it they don't like are the people who ask to buy sparkleballs. "It's all just for fun," Don says. "Nobody's in this for the money."
See a video of Yale Avenue Sparkleballs HERE.
Bill, Robert, Don, Jeff (above) and Murph (not pictured) are the instigators behind North Yale.
Eucalyptus trees line North Yale Avenue and make hanging sparkleballs an adventure.
Jeff's garage - where it all began. (Don Deyne photograph)
Thank you, Kristin, for inviting me to see your street.
A few red and green ones for punctuation.
It's as fun to see in daylight as at night. (Like seeing how the magician does the trick.)
Don makes the largest ones out of 10 oz cups and 300 chasing lights. (see below)
Don's giant sparkleball is a feat of sparkleball engineering.
Volunteers, a commercial crane, and miles of electrical cord take two days to make it happen.
Photograph Courtesy of Don Deyne