Let the Festivities Begin

Welcome to the 32nd Annual Christmas House Decorating Contest! The House Decorating Contestshave been sponsored by LCEC for32 consecutive years. A committee of 34 dedicated community-minded citizens makes it all happen. 

This year the Preliminary Judging will be done on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 15, 16 and 17between 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM each night. Homeowners are instructed to have their lights on all three nights to ensure that the judges may view all properties. Judging teams evaluate every home on every street on Marco. Winners are not eligible to win again for a five-year period. 

The Final Judging of the top 10 finalists is scheduled for Friday, December 19 from 6:30 – 10:30 PM. First Horizon Bank sponsors the Finals Night Judges’ Tailgate Party that precedes the Judges’Trolley Tour to the Top 10 Homes to select the 2025 Winner. The trolley will depart from First Horizon Bank, 605 Bald Eagle, at 6:30 PM. 

All owners of the Top 10 Homes receive a plaque. The overall winner receives the covetedYard Sign, Winner’s Plaque,andthe LCEC Traveling Trophy to be kept for one year by the winners of the House Contest and then passed on to the next year’s winner. Previous winners of both home and business contests display their yard sign annually and continue to decorate in the spiritof the season. 

A list of the Top 10 Finalists and “worth seeing” addresses are supplied to the mediaand other outlets on December 18, following the preliminary judging,so families may visit and enjoy the beauty and originality of the decorated homes throughout the holiday season.The list of the Top 10 homes is available through the press outlets, at the Chamber of Commerce Office, or by email request after December 17 to Event Chairman, Dave Rice, at marcodave@comcast.net. For those joining the car caravan that traditionally follows the judges’ trolley, lists will bedistributed prior to the tour.  

The entire Committee looks forward to the 2025 contest and hopes participation levels soar beyond the 1,606 decorated homes in 2024. 

The Business Decorating Contest will be held on the same judging dates and the winner will be announced on December 20. Businesses (only) need to sign up to be judged by contacting the Marco Island Chamber of Commerce or by emailing Kristina.lambros@gmail.com.