Light Up Montrose
2025 Winners
Residential Winners:
1st Place: Wendy Luecke
2nd Place: Cheryl Alexander
Business Winners:
1st Place: From the Heart
2nd Place: Dr. Rechlicz
People's Choice: Cheryl Alexander!
Holiday Light Decorating Contest Rules
Eligibility:
1. Participants: Open to all businesses and residential homes within greater Montrose. The
limits are within the judge’s discretion but generally are:
o South along Route 29 to Anthony’s Restaurant
o North along Route 29 to Mitchell Road
o The northern border of the borough
o West along Route706 to Kool Cow
o East along Route 706 to the split with Route 167
2. Categories:
o Business: Any commercial establishment. (Outside of building or window display)
o Residential: Any residential building (Outside of building at entrant’s address)
3. Registration: Participants must register by November 13, 2026. Late entries will not be
considered. Enter at www.christmasinmontrose.com
Decoration Guidelines:
1. Theme: Decorations should reflect our holiday theme. Creativity and originality are
encouraged. Bonus points will be awarded to participants who match the Christmas in
Montrose theme for 2026, “Classic Country Christmas”.
2. Safety: All decorations must be safely installed. No hazardous or illegal materials allowed.
3. Lighting: Only approved outdoor lights and extension cords should be used. No open flames
or flammable materials.
4. Display Period: Decorations must be up and fully operational from November 30, 2026,
through December 8th, 2026. Judging will take place between December 1 st - 3rd.
Additions made after November 30 th will not be judged. Winners will be announced on
Saturday, December 6th on The Green at Christmas in Montrose. We encourage you to remain
decorated and lit through the holiday season!
5. Respect for Neighbors: Noise levels should be kept reasonable, and decorations should not
obstruct public pathways or cause any disturbance to neighbors.
Judging Criteria:
1. Christmas Spirit: (1-10 points) Embracing the spirit of the Christmas season.
2. Creativity: (1-10 points) Originality and unique ideas.
3. Overall Appearance and Design: (1-10 points) Visual impact, including use of color, lights,
and overall design.
4. Craftsmanship or Effort: (1-10 points) Attention to detail and quality of work or the apparent
time and effort put into the decorations.
5. Theme Adherence: (1-10 Points) How well the decorations adhere to the Christmas in
Montrose theme for 2026, “Classic Country Christmas”.
Judging Process:
1. Judges: A panel of judges will evaluate the decorations. Judges will be impartial and may
include members of the community, local business owners, or event sponsors.
2. Scoring: Each criterion will be scored on a scale of 1-10. The participant with the highest
score will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the Judges will base the winner on the
Judges’ Choice for the best display.
3. Judging Date: Judging will take place between Dec 1 st – 3rd. All displays must be fully lit from
5 PM to 9 PM on those dates.
Prizes:
1. Business Category: $500 to the first-place winner. $250 to the runner-up!
2. Residential Category: $1,000 to the first-place winner. $250 to the runner-up!
Miscellaneous:
1. Publicity: By participating, entrants agree to allow photos and videos of their decorations to be
used for promotional purposes by the event organizers.
2. Disqualification: The committee reserves the right to disqualify any participant who violates
the contest rules or engages in inappropriate behavior.
3. Weather Contingency: In the event of severe weather, the judging date may be postponed,
and participants will be notified accordingly.