Community offering support to Allen family after sudden passing of man behind light display

Trevor Allen, the man behind Regina’s Allen Family Lights, has passed away after bringing joy to thousands each year. Sierra D’Souza Butts has more.

People are offering their condolences to the Allen family during a difficult time after the sudden passing of Trevor Allen, the man behind famous light displays in Regina.

Through his bright and colourful light displays, Allen brought thousands of families every year to the Lakeridge neighbourhood.

Now the lights are part of his legacy, leaving vibrant memories for his family, friends and neighbours.

“It’s been a hit for the last probably five or six years that I’ve been here. There’s so many cars that come in and look at the display, they line up on the street and then they take turns going down,” said Shelley Baker, who lives down the street from the family home.

According to an update from his family, Allen died on Dec. 12. “It is with a very heavy heart that I share that my dad (Trevor Allen), the founder of Allen Family Lights has passed away,” his daughter shared in a memorial social media post on Facebook.

“He was a man who loved bringing joy to people, whether through our light show, his endless projects or the way he encouraged everyone to try new things and explore their creativity.”

Since 2018, Allen has put on festive light displays which has grown to having 72,067 LED bulbs.

Aside from the holiday season, he has also created shows in celebration of Halloween as well as for Remembrance Day.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

“They sent me a picture and a beautiful message to go along with it. The response is excellent. Just getting those messages is why I do it so,” Allen told CTV News back in Nov. 2021, referring to the Remembrance Day display he put on to pay respects to veterans during the pandemic shutdowns.

He also showed his Saskatchewan Roughrider spirit through a special display.

Since hearing of his passing, support for his family has been pouring in from friends and organizations, including the Regina International Airport.

“Our friend and co-worker Trevor Allen was an exceptional person – kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and deeply devoted to his family and community,” read the airport’s social media post.

“He was a pillar of our organization and his presence, leadership and compassion made a lasting impact on all of us. The loss is immeasurable. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.”

Baker also shared her condolences to the Allen family, stating the light show helps people in the community get into the Christmas spirit.

“It’s wonderful because it brings everybody together from families to myself. Every time I drive down the street, I put it on my radio and it just gives you that boost and gets you in that Christmas spirit, which sometimes is hard,” she said.

“I feel for the family going through this at Christmas time, and I hope that everybody rallies around them and helps them out in any way they can.”

Allen’s legacy will live on through his family, as his daughter plans on continuing the Allen Family Lights display in the years ahead.

“He had a way of making people smile without even trying and that’s exactly the kind of magic I want to carry forward,” his daughter shared in a memorial social media post on Facebook.