Expandable icicle light string for spanning structures of various dimensions

An expandable light string comprising:

• a flexible backbone cable having a plurality of conductive wires extending and providing electrical conduction along a length between a first end and a second end of the flexible backbone cable, the plurality of conductive wires configured to receive electrical operating power from a power source;
• a plurality of lighting elements, each conductively coupled to at least two of the plurality of conductive wires of the flexible backbone cable so as to illuminate in response to receiving electrical operating power therefrom;
• and
• a single expandable member coupled at a plurality of coupling locations to the flexible backbone cable along the length thereof, the single expandable member configured to expand, in response to a tensile force applied to first and second ends of the single expandable member, so that a length between the first and second ends of the single expandable member increases, and to contract, in response to a reduction in the tensile force applied to the first and second ends of the single expandable member, so that the length between the first and second ends of the single expandable member decreases,
• wherein a distance between the first and second ends of the flexible backbone cable changes in response to changes in the length of the single expandable member.