Apparatus and associated methods relate to synchronizing a plurality of lighting display controllers so as to temporally coordinate a corresponding plurality of lighting displays controlled thereby. A clock or timer is configured to generate a time sequence of timing signals, to which the plurality of lighting display systems synchronize themselves. Each of the plurality of lighting display systems display a first of a time sequence of spatial illumination patterns in response to receiving, from the transmitter, a signal indicative of a temporal start of the synchronized plurality of lighting displays. Each of the plurality of lighting display systems displays a subsequent spatial illumination patterns in response to receiving, from the transmitter, a subsequent timing signal.