’Tis the season: Bring your repurposed ornaments to Misfit Island
Andrew Reid, pictured last year in front of his East Northport home, which he turns into a winter wonderland with over 90,000 lights and found, fixed and refurbished holiday decor.
Misfit Island, the “Christmas Lights Spectacular” created by East Northport resident Andrew Reid, is back and ready to brighten up the holidays. The Oxbow Court display uses more than 300,000 lights (a huge increase from last year's 90,000) and is made mostly of items that were found, fixed and refurbished by the 21-year-old Northport High School alumnus. Assembly of the display is a big job; Reid began working on this year’s spectacular in August.
Last season was Misfit Island’s largest and most advertised, bringing in spectators from all over Long Island and even out-of-state; through it Reid raised more than $16,000 for the first Ronald McDonald House in Suffolk County, at Stony Brook Children's Hospital. He be will collecting donations for the Ronald McDonald Foundation again this year.
The 2025 spectacular opens tomorrow, November 27, on Thanksgiving night, from 5:30 to 9pm. Reid is inviting anyone who wants to be part of the Misfit family to make an ornament from used or recycled materials to be hung on the Misfit tree (the tree will be left outside so ornaments should be waterproof and able to withstand the elements). Adults and children can stop by the display and add their upcycled ornaments to the tree, which will stay out all winter long. Once the tree is filled, Reid will donate the ornaments to the Ronald McDonald Foundation for its display.
A 2023 graduate and former member of the Northport High School track team, Reid salvaged his first holiday decoration – a unicorn – while out for a run five years ago. He loves to go on hunts for holiday decor that would otherwise land in landfills, and accepts donations for his display throughout the year.
Like last season, 100% of the proceeds from Reid’s holiday display will go to the Ronald McDonald Foundation.
The Misfit Island Christmas Lights Spectacular is located at 14 Oxbow Court and open to the public every night from 5:30-9pm through December 26, weather permitting (check Misfit Island’s social media on rainy, windy or snowy days for updates). A calendar with special events can be found here. Read the original Northport Journal article about Andrew and the history of his holiday display here.
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