Light Up Montrose

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:

• South along Route 29 to Anthony’s Restaurant

• North along Route 29 to Mitchell Road

• The northern border of the borough

• West along Route706 to Kool Cow

• East along Route 706 to the split with Route 167

2. Categories:

• Business: Any commercial establishment. (Outside of building or window display)

• Residential: Any residential building (Outside of building at entrant’s address)

3. Registration: Participants must register by November 14, 2025. Late entries will not be considered. Enter at www.christmasinmontrose.com

Decoration Guidelines:

1. Theme: Decorations should reflect a holiday theme. Creativity and originality are encouraged.  Bonus points will be awarded to participants who match the Christmas in Montrose theme for 2025, “Gingerbread House”.

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 28, 2025, through December 2, 2025. Judging will take place between November 29th and December 2nd.  Winners will be announced on Saturday, December 6th on The Green at Christmas in Montrose. We encourage you to remain decorated 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 Spirt: (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.

• Theme Adherence: (1-10 Points) How well the decorations adhere to the Christmas in Montrose theme for 2025, “Gingerbread House”.

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 November 28th at 5 PM and December 2nd  at 9 PM.  All displays must be fully lit from 5 PM to 9 PM on those dates.

Prizes:

1. Business Category: $500 Cash to the first-place winner.  $250 Cash to the runner-up!

2. Residential Category: $1,000 Cash 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.