The Mount Dora Boating Center & Marina is ending its Christmas light display after more than 30 years, the Lewis family announced last week in a Facebook post.

For decades, the marina’s lights, which have grown to more than 1 million, have drawn families and visitors to the Mount Dora waterfront, becoming a treasured part of the holiday season. But after years of countless hours spent installing, maintaining and repairing the display, owner Joe Lewis and his family have decided it’s time to focus on making Christmas memories of their own.

“For decades, we’ve dedicated our holiday season to creating Christmas memories for other families,” the Lewis family says in the post. “As much joy as that has brought us, we realize it’s time to give some of this precious Christmas moments back to our family.”

The family explained that while the display brought joy to countless visitors, the work behind the scenes often meant sacrificing precious time together during the holidays.

“Our family is growing, and the time seems to pass more quickly each year,” the post reads. “After spending so many Christmas seasons creating memories for everyone else, we feel it’s time for my dad to slow down, and enjoy the season with his own family.”

The announcement prompted offers from community members willing to volunteer their time to keep the tradition alive. However, the family says in a follow-up post that the display requires specialized electrical knowledge, extensive maintenance and potentially dangerous installation work.

The family says that, as an operating business, the marina cannot assume the liability of having volunteers perform the work.

The family also says the entire display has been designed and maintained by one person, with no written instructions or diagrams explaining how everything fits together.

“Every detail, from the placement of the lights to the electrical work and installation, has been something my dad has personally designed, built, and perfected over the years,” the family says.

Even with volunteers, the family says he would still need to spend considerable time supervising, training and troubleshooting, defeating much of the purpose behind the decision.

The family also says a significant portion of the display requires repairs each year, with countless hours spent replacing components and resolving electrical problems before the lights can shine again.

In past years, the marina has also used the display to collect toys and food for local families, and the city of Mount Dora honored Joe with a proclamation in 2019.

Despite the difficult decision, the Lewis family expressed gratitude to the community for embracing the display and making it part of their own Christmas traditions.

“We know that visiting the Marina’s display has become a tradition for so many families, and that is something we will always hold close to our hearts,” the family says.

While the waterfront will look different this Christmas, the family hopes the memories created over the years will remain a lasting part of Mount Dora’s holiday history.

“The lights will no longer shine on the waterfront, but the memories they created will live on for generations,” the family says.