Boulder City couple takes home big prize as Christmas light champions

By Ricardo Torres-Cortez

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016 | 2 a.m.

When a film crew arrived to Dale Ryan and Dyanah Musgrave's Christmas-themed Boulder City house last month, the couple thought maybe it was there to film a promo for "The Great Christmas Light Fight," in which they had participated.

Instead, the crew was there to record their reaction as show judge Taniya Nayak told them they'd won the nationally syndicated reality TV show's grand prize of $50,000 and a trophy that Ryan earlier said represented "bragging rights."

The scene was kept under wraps until the show's season finale aired Monday night.

Boulder City residents accompanied the couple in a viewing pajama party Monday evening in a tent at Boulder Creek Golf Club. Attendees cheered, snacked and had family portraits taken, Musgrave said Tuesday.

The episode shows Nayak arrive in a classic red convertible car chauffeured by ‘Santa Claus.’

As Nayak announced the real reason for the visit, Ryan let out a scream. His threw his hands up in the air, wiped away tears, and embraced Musgrave and his 94-year-old father who goes by “Wild Bill,” who Ryan said inspired him as a kid to one day elaborately decorate his house.

And he's been doing it in Boulder City for the past 13 winters. This year's display includes about 100,000 lights, an operational ski lift and a Ferris wheel with stuffed Disney characters.

The experience of participating in this show, which saw about 5,000 entries and 24 finalists, was "amazing," Musgrave said.

"For us, it's definitely not about the money. It was about the trophy," Musgrave said.

Hundreds of people showed at the couple's house on October 15 when crews filmed the show's reveal. Nayak called it the biggest attendance in the show's history.

On Monday, children jumped and cheered at the big-screen displays at the watch party, Musgrave said. She said that images of children watching and cheering from home have circulated on Facebook and been shared with the couple. Several other viewing parties also were hosted at local businesses.

The house on Fifth Street should see an influx of visitors after Monday, show producers told Ryan and Musgrave. Already this season, the attendance has grown significantly, Musgrave said.

Monday's show was special for Boulder City, Musgrave said. "We worked really really hard to do this. This was just such a nice validation, moreso for the town."

The display will be available every night through the end of the year from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.