Florida. Spanktown Road display is a Christmas tradition that gets bigger and better each year

There are good reasons why Vincent Poloniak, who lives on Spanktown Road in the Village of Florida was chosen for Warwick’s Outstanding Community Service honors for 2021-2022.

In addition to his decades of community service with senior citizens and military veterans, he is well known throughout the area for creating and maintaining spectacular Christmas displays outside his home for more than 50 years.

With more than 50,000 lights and music, no Town of Warwick home has attracted more tourists at Christmastime.

It takes Poloniak and a few friends about three weeks to complete the annual project.

He and his wife, Joan, now deceased, began decorating their home for Christmas back in 1973, when their daughter Paula was only five years old.

“It all started with a Santa we purchased in Newburgh,” he recalled, “and then we would add to our decorations each year. But I got wild in the 1990s and that developed into what you see today.”

When Poloniak was once asked how long he expected to be doing this, he answered, “I can’t stop now. Too many people look forward to it. And I love seeing the children and how happy and surprised they are by the display.”

Poloniak also didn’t expect to run out of new visitors.

“The children who came here years ago,” he said, “now bring their children.”

Visiting Spanktown Road to enjoy his spectacular display has become a Christmastime tradition in the Town of Warwick. The lights are turned on at 4 p.m.

- Roger Gavan