A subdivision in Forsyth County near Cumming lights up the nights during the Christmas season, a tradition that is now in its 18th year. The tradition is known as the Ashebrooke Night of Lights (NOL). More than 300 homes participate in the event lighting up the neighborhood.
The Ashebrooke NOL is a one-night event that residents prepare for weeks in advance. That one-night event hosts not only Christmas lights and decorations but also a hot chocolate stand, a live nativity scene, and Santa Claus. This year, the Night of Lights event was on December 17. However, the residents continue to illuminate the subdivision through the Christmas season.
Clarkesville resident Julia Braswell and her family recently visited the subdivision. She tells Now Habersham that the experience driving through the subdivision got her family in the Christmas spirit. “We turned up the heat, rolled the windows down, and with Christmas music playing, we enjoyed all of the many houses decorated with sparkling festive Christmas Lights,” she said.
Directions
The subdivision is located just west of Cumming and two miles west of GA 400. Exit GA 400 at the Bethelview Road exit and travel north on Bethelview Road for approximately two miles. Luke Drive is the entrance to the subdivision and is on the right.
Remember, when visiting
For those who visit the subdivision, it is important to remember that this is a residential neighborhood, be respectful and do not trespass. Obey traffic control signs while in the subdivision. Typically, residents don’t turn on their lights until after 6:30 p.m. after the NOL.
Depending on traffic volume, during the Night of Lights, it can take up to two hours to drive through the subdivision. However, after the main event, it can take about 40 minutes to drive through the subdivision to see all of the displays.
It started with giving
According to the Ashebrooke NOL website, the event started simple enough as neighbors helping neighbors in need. In 2006, the neighborhood came together to help a young girl and her family in the community who had a rare eye cancer, requiring them to travel to Philadelphia for treatments. Since then, the tradition has continued. Each year the community selects a family or organization in the community that needs financial assistance.
This year, the community selected two people in the community that are currently battling cancer.
Falyn Abernathy is an 8th grader who is battling a type of cancer called Diffuse Leptomeningeal Glioneuronal Tumors. She was diagnosed with this cancer when she was 7 years old and has undergone an MRI scan every three months since then.
Falyn is currently receiving a new drug therapy that requires her and a parent to travel to Duke University once a month to receive her medication for two years.
Rick Zacholski known as “Coach Z” is a West Forsyth High School coach who was recently diagnosed with stage 3 Colorectal Cancer that has required him to undergo surgeries, radiation treatments, and chemotherapy. He is in his 41st year of teaching. According to the Ashebrooke website, “In selecting Coach Z, Ashebrooke is extending community support to an individual in Forsyth County who has poured so much into his school and community!”
