Upper Valley Towns Launch Holiday Lights Contests, Community Tours

Municipal governments in the Upper Valley have organized seasonal decorating contests this month, with Claremont, Lebanon, and Windsor among the participating towns. In Claremont the Parks and Recreation Department opened its Annual Christmas Lights Competition to entries, and the submission window runs through Thursday, December 18. Residents wishing to enter are asked to submit a photo along with their name and address by email to the department.

Claremont will also operate a neighborhood lights tour this coming Sunday, with separate tour departures at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. Organizers are accepting advance registration for the tours, and participants will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite displays. In addition to tour voting, ballots will be available in person at the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center through Sunday, December 21.

Lebanon and Windsor have launched similar seasonal programs, each providing instructions for entry and public posting of winners. Those contests are structured to encourage residential participation rather than commercial competition, and officials have emphasized inclusion of neighborhoods across municipal boundaries.

The contests and tours serve multiple local functions. They offer residents a low barrier way to engage with municipal programming, promote neighborhood interaction during a period that can be socially isolating for some, and create modest increases in pedestrian and automotive activity that can benefit nearby small businesses. Parks and recreation offices are using the events to draw residents into municipal facilities for voting and registration, a tactic that can strengthen community ties to local institutions.

At the same time the events raise practical considerations for towns to manage, including safety on tour routes, parking near heavily decorated blocks, and ensuring fair and transparent voting procedures between in person and tour based ballots. For residents without internet access the in person voting option at the community center provides an alternative means to participate.

Entry deadlines and tour schedules make this week the critical window for participation. Residents who wish to enter Claremont’s competition must submit materials by Thursday, December 18, and those who want to join the Jingle Bus neighborhood tours should register ahead of Sunday’s departures. Winners and results will be posted publicly as each municipality has outlined in its contest materials.