#Dillonland

[jonfarreporter]

A New Holiday Tradition for the town of Sonoma

The 1200 block of Grove Street is a homespun holiday spectacular to rival that of the annual lighted snowmen at Cornerstone on Arnold Drive. “Dillonland - The Jolliest Place on Earth,” is a holiday menagerie of an array of characters and storylines from some of the most well-known and beloved genres of the past 70 years.

“Our son Dillon loves Christmas very much and for the past five years we as a family have been putting this together,” said Dillon’s mother, Karen Stall.

With Dillon as the visionary, his father Gary as the construction worker/builder and mom Karen as the artist/painter, the decorative-creativity keeps expanding.

“Dillon comes up with the designs and we follow along,” said Karen. In 2020 is when Dillon put his best and most work into it, establishing it as something to take the time to see.

There has been many local/neighborhood decorated houses and blocks in Sonoma over the years. But very few like “Dillonland” where people can actually walk through it and sit and enjoy for as long as they want.

Dillon wasn’t there when this reporter on assignment for the Sonoma Valley Sun stopped by the evening after Christmas. “He wanted to take a break,” said Karen, as the family starts preparing in November, opening the day after Thanksgiving.

‘Dillonland’ was closed on Christmas Day, much to the disappointment to local Sonoma residents like Mandy Cohen who made the effort to include it on the annual drive around to see the holiday lights. “I usually drive around my neighborhood after Christmas dinner and then to the plaza to see the lights,” said Cohen. “And when friends told me about the wonderful light display at Grove Street, I was disappointed and a bit puzzled that it was closed on Christmas,” she exclaimed.

In addition to being fans of Christmas, the Stall Family are big sports fans. “Sorry we weren’t open on Christmas,” said Karen to Cohen. “We didn’t want to miss the Forty-Niners game on Christmas.”

Amid the many different displays, which include different types and favorites; from The Grinch to Disney, to Charlie Brown and Snoopy, there’s a spot for the Forty-Niners.

Even though the Forty-Niners lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day, the Stall Family is loyal. “Maybe, next year if the Forty-Niners have a game again on Christmas we will watch the game right here,” Karen said as she pointed to the large inflatable screen streaming the holiday classic movie ‘A Christmas Story.’ “That might be a great idea, get the sports fans out here too,” she said.

It’s their dedication and loyalty as a family and to the community that makes ‘Dillonland’ a unique and one-of-a-kind local holiday experience. Located at 1229 Grove Street, Dillonland is open from 5:30 to 9:00 PM in the evening for rest of the holiday season until Jan 7, 2024. “We will be here unless it rains,” said Karen. Limited parking is available directly across the street. For more details follow on Facebook and on Instagram @deckthehallswiththestalls.