SLO County ranch has an Old West movie set decked out in lights — you can see it for free
Editor’s Note: This is the first in our Heartwarming Holidays series of stories running through December. Got something special you’d like us to share? Email reporter Kaytlyn Leslie at kleslie@thetribunenews.com.
When they see his creation for the first time — beyond the requisite “oohs” and “ahhs” — people tell John Rickwald he’s brought Christmas to life.
“What gets to my heart is when somebody walks up to me and says, ‘You know, this is the first time I’ve felt Christmas in a long time,’ ” Rickwald said. “I tear up just talking about it. I mean, it’s the warm, fuzzy that you normally don’t get in everyday life.”
So what is it Rickwald made that’s so unusual?
At his 10-acre Creston property, known as Critter Creek Ranch, Rickwald has built a massive Hollywood-style Old West movie set — complete with a general store, building facades and even a hand-made barbecue — that he then decks out for the holidays with miles of Christmas lights for a truly unique holiday spectacle.
The property will be opened up for free public viewing for the first time ever this Saturday and next, and Rickwald is preparing for a massive turnout of folks looking to celebrate the holidays in a unique way.
“This is a labor of love,” he said.
Creston ranch owner builds Hollywood-style movie set
Critter Creek is not a place to take in massive 20-foot blow up Santa Clauses or a flashy musical-timed light show.
Instead, Rickwald said he aimed for something simpler, yet still impressive in scope.
“My plan was never to have a lot of flashing lights or plastic blow-up things, you know what I mean?” he said. “I want it to feel very warm.”
Rickwald knows a thing or two about set design.
Growing up in Southern California, Rickwald’s father was a finishing set painter at Fox Studios — his parents actually met at Desilu Productions, the TV production company founded by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, of “I Love Lucy” fame.
As a “studio brat,” Rickwald would hang out at the Fox lot after school, watching as they filmed the old westerns. Once, while he was on the Daniel Boone TV show set, Rickwald remembers making a noise while they were filming.
“Who is that? Go, get off the set,“ he remembered them yelling. “Never come back again.”
So he built his own 50 years later.
Ultimately, Rickwald said he hopes the set will be used in commercials and movies, and potentially open to the public full time — but for now he’s still working on building it up piece by scavenged piece.
“But it’s still gonna be a while before I consider it happy with what I’ve done,” he said.
Holiday lights display free to public
While he continues to work on the property’s more permanent fixtures, Rickwald usually takes time out each year to set up the holiday decorations.
Rickwald has decorated the ranch for Christmas since he and his wife Michele Rickwald moved there in 1994. In 2017, their decorations drew close to 1,500 visitors to the 3897 La Panza Road property.
Rickwald was unable to decorate the ranch the next three years, however, after he broke his leg in three places and then the coronavirus pandemic prevented large gatherings in 2020.
This year, the decorations are back and better than ever, Rickwald said.
“We were like, the community wanted it. I wanted it. My wife wanted it,” he said.
The couple began preparing the property in October, including installing more than 3 miles’ worth of lights. The decorations span across the ranch, lighting up the main area as well as some small trails and even a Christmas tree or two.
The lights are visible from the road every day, between 5 and 9 p.m., but to get the full experience, Rickwald will open the property up to guests on Saturday and again on Dec. 18.
Guests those nights will also be treated to free hot chocolate or apple cider and free chili, all donated by a number of Rickwald’s friends and sponsors who help to make the events and the massive display possible.
“If it wasn’t for the sponsors, I couldn’t do it at all,” Rickwald said, noting that his electric bill alone during November and December is $1,600 more than it is the rest of the year.
You won’t find him charging for entry though: It’s important for Rickwald to keep the display free to whoever wants to enjoy it, he said.
It is all a labor of love, after all.
“I just did this for the community,” Rickwald said. “This is really for the community.”
Do you have suggestions for other heartwarming holiday stories? Through the month of December, The Tribune will publish stories highlighting the best in our community for the holidays. Send suggestions to reporter Kaytlyn Leslie at kleslie@thetribunenews.com.
This story was originally published December 9, 2021 at 12:51 PM.
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