City Decides To Permanently End Southeast Idaho Family Xmas Show
The hosts of a popular area Christmas light show that has been delighting Idahoans for years recently received word that the 2019 show was to be their last.
For those familiar with the Belnap Family Christmas Light Show in Iona, as of August 5, 2020, the event has been permanently cancelled. Details of the cancellation were shared recently by operators of the event's Facebook page.
Iona is located south of Rexburg, approximately 160 miles northeast of Twin Falls. According to the event's Facebook page, city officials gathered back in May during a meeting and determined that public nuisance complaints from neighbors regarding the Christmas show were indeed valid.
Organizers of the show often dressed in holiday costumes and delivered candy canes to passing motorists. The Belnap family has lived in the area for more than four decades, and have been putting on the show since 2008.
Complaints from people living near the host home in the city of roughly 2,300 prompted the investigation into whether or not the event was breaking any local noise ordinances. The Belnaps shared official city documents, as well as additional information related to the decision by the Iona City Council, on the social media site also.
The post has been shared nearly 2,000 times, with many locals expressing anger and frustration in the comment lines. More than 700 comments can be read on the post.
A public nuisance is described in the shared city document as anything that "obstructs the free use of property, interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by an entire community or neighborhood, or by any substantial number of persons."