The deadline to register has passed and the competition field has been set for the City of Folsom’s 2023 Holiday Lighting Contest presented by Folsom Times. The annual citywide contest has garnered a record high 52 entries this year.
This marks the third year the City of Folsom has organized a community contest of this type. It also marks the first year the event has partnered with Folsom Times, which together with the local business community, has brought over $3000 in various community prize packages for the different category winners.
The annual City of Folsom Holiday Lighting Contest first began after Folsom City council member YK Chalamcherla presented the idea just before the holiday season in 2020. What started as a fast paced contest in the heart of the pandemic is now an annual event for years to come, with residents and local businesses all coming together to celebrate the spirit of the holidays with some friendly, festive competition.
Chalamcherla and the rest of Folsom’s City Council will be hitting the streets over several nights in the coming week to view and judge the many entries. It is expected that the winners will be announced the week of Dec. 17 at www.folsomtimes.com as well as across the City of Folsom’s sites and newsletters.
Residents who want to cruise the neighborhoods and check out all of the competing homes can find the 51 registered entries and their addresses in our official contest entry directory page by clicking here. You can also view a map format of enteries on the City of Folsom’s website here.
From fine dining to bowling, shopping, gardening, health and beauty services and more, a menagerie of “prize packs” for the various winners of this year’s contest have been assembled for the various winners of this fun and spirited holiday contest that is welcoming free entries from residents and business owners that are ready to light up their city this holiday season. Altogether, Folsom Times will present over $3000 in prizes will be awarded in this year’s contest.
“The City of Folsom has done an amazing job growing this event since 2020 and this year, we wanted to make it even better by partnering with them and adding a collection of valued prizes,” said Bill Sullivan, co-founder/publisher of Folsom Times. Once the collaboration was established, Sullivan and business partner Adam Frick reached out to various advertisers and supporters across the city and garnered the more than $3,000 in prize packages. “Our business community is amazing here in Folsom, so many business owners were eager to join us in this project to make Folsom brighter this holiday season.”
The contest categories for 2023 are as follows:
- Holly Jolly Residence – Best overall residence. A total of 21 residents have entered this category for 2023
- Clark Griswold – Best use of holiday lights (residential). A total of 18 different residents have entered this category for this year.
- Hollywood Christmas – Best use of theme and/or fictional characters (residential). A total of five homes have entered this category.
- Illuminate the Block – Best multi-house display. A total of five entries make up this category this year, one of the largest in three years.
- Merry and Bright Business – Festive commercial business display across the city (includes window painting).
The prizes detailed:
All winners will receive a sign announcing their achievement from the City of Folsom. Folsom Times will be presenting a collection of community cheer packages containing a variety of gifts from the many collaborating businesses that are detailed below. Winners will also be recognized at the next Folsom City Council Meeting, in the City of Folsom E-Newsletter and various city social media platforms.
Holly Jolly Residence winner’s package contains the following:
- Local dining gift cards from: Bacchus House of Folsom, Mario’s Early Toast. Scotts’ Seafood, Riley’s on Sutter and Snook’s Chocolate Factory.
- Bottle of wine courtesy of Willamette Wine Works
- Float session for two at Symmetry for Health
- $25 gift card for Green Acres Nursery
Clark Griswold winner’s package contains the following:
- Local dining gift cards from: Bacchus House of Folsom, Mario’s Early Toast. Scotts’ Seafood, Plank Restaurant and Snook’s Chocolate Factory.
- Bottle of wine courtesy of Willamette Wine Works
- Float session for two at Symmetry for Health
- $25 gift card for Green Acres Nursery
Hollywood Christmas winner’s package contains the following:
- Local dining gift cards from: Bacchus House of Folsom, Mario’s Early Toast. Scotts’ Seafood, Plank Restaurant and Snook’s Chocolate Factory.
- Bottle of wine courtesy of Willamette Wine Works
- Float session for two at Symmetry for Health
- $25 gift card for Green Acres Nursery
Illuminate the Block winner’s package contains then following:
- $50 gift card to Visconti’s Ristorante for each house on the block (up to 12)
- Block party bowling party at FLB Entertainment Center
Merry and Bright Business winner’s prize:
- $800 business spotlight feature on Folsom Times and Folsom TV
All registered participants will be entered into a random drawing for the opportunity to win various additional gift cards from Green Acres Nursery, Riley’s on Sutter and others.
