Sowell Farms' Christmas lights go national

MILTON — Those seeking the Christmas spirit need look no farther than Milton's Sowell Farms.

Michelle Sowell and her two daughters have been putting on the "Sowell's North Pole Christmas Lights Display" for 15 years, because she loves the holiday and wanted to bring a big Christmas attraction to Santa Rosa County.

She said her family used to visit St. Anne's Catholic Church's light display in Pensacola before the church stopped putting them on. Soon after, she decided to continue the tradition at home.

"I started getting stuff and having my own [attraction] and it just kept growing and people started coming," she said. "It's an every-year thing that families look forward to."

The once-small concept now has multiple fields of displays and lights as well as a train, snacks and pictures with Santa Claus. Sowell said she has put about $100,000 into the project and her power bill is approximately $3,500 in December.

"We have about a million lights right now," Sowell said. "I have a little over three and a half miles of extension cords. I'll be taking down lights well into the end of February."

The Sowell Farms lights might win the family some money this year — $50,000 to be precise — as finalists of the ABC television show "The Great Christmas Light Fight."

Sowell said this was the fifth year she's applied to be a contestant.

"I heard the message and had to listen to it about a hundred times to believe it," she said.

Sowell said if they do win the grand prize, they know what they want.

"We want a giraffe," Sowell said.

She wasn't kidding. The farm has several exotic animals, she said, including a zebra, kangaroo and a camel. The farm also serves as a wedding venue, and brides, Sowell said, love including the exotic animals.

The show's judges have already evaluated Sowell's displays and the episode will air next year. They looked at the use of lights, overall design, and "Christmas spirit" for their assessment. Judges appreciated Sowell's use of white beach sand in one of her displays, she said.

"They thanked me for actually including my community in my display," she said.

See the lights every night from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. until Dec. 27 — $10 per car. Sowell Farms is located at 7650 Sowell Road.