Xmas lights turn on event

[droptopchickenbox]

Hello! I've been tasked with handling my villages christmas light display for the turn on. My idea is to build a large lever/switch that the primary school kids will "flip" a switch which will start a countdown on a 25x20 curtain, During the 10 second countdown, from the switch I will run an LED strip that shows "power" going into 5/6 arches that will also fill with "christmas spirit" and then finally the tree will come on.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to trigger the tree lights through xlights or should I just keep it simple and do it manually.
Any thoughts?

also are there any sequences available for something like this or am I doing it from scratch?

 

[MikeKrebs]

I missed this when you posted. I how you found some answers in the meantime.

Easy would be build a raspberry pi with a "big button". Attach it to the RPi using a gpio and have it trigger a sequence.

Your idea is great and should be relatively easy to implement. You good even add a Christmas vacation/ thx misfire in there for dramatic pause.

 

[MartinMueller2003]

I would implement it as two sequences.
The power up sequence as a play once at start and another sequences that plays on repeat for the rest of the show. Then trigger the playing using a GPIO on a FPP.