The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce invites all businesses in the city to “Share your Sparkle” this holiday season ~ by entering the Annual Holiday Storefront Decorating Contest.
The Chamber has also been instrumental in encouraging the businesses community to renew the tradition of displaying blue lights during the holidays. It first started at the Colonial Center during the Christmas season. Mary, the wife of Norton Clapp who designed the center, inspired owners of nearby shopping centers to follow the color scheme, and in the late 1930’s blue bulbs symbolized the holiday spirit of Lakewood businesses. For decades, people would travel from around the South Sound to see the city luminous with sparkling blue lights – and became a destination for holiday shoppers. The Colonial Plaza Project has been the impetus to reawaken this tradition of the blue lights as they were as far back as 80 years ago.
Chamber President, Linda Smith, noted that she is working with Lakewood Hardware and Paint, ordering as many C-9 blue light strands as they can get their hands on. The Chamber is also partnering with Veteran Roofers who have begun installing lights on various businesses in the city. “The blue light project and storefront decorating contest go hand-in-hand. It’s a terrific way for Lakewood to brand ourselves and to add charm and whimsy for the holiday season. It shows the community our businesses are open ~ and ready to serve. It’s also a lovely gift to our citizens, because our holiday activities will be limited this year. An evening drive with family to enjoy the lights is a simple tradition that will be enjoyed and appreciated by the young, and young at heart.”
So how about it business community? Ready to Share Your Sparkle? The Chamber is also providing complimentary strings of outdoor lights to any business in Lakewood. You can call them at 253-582-9400 to request your quantity as long as supplies last.
HOW TO COMPETE:
Step 1: Use lights and decorations in your storefront window. Make sure it’s visible to the public. Display with Lakewood’s “official” blue holiday lights and score higher points with the judges. The more lights, the better!
Step 2: Submit up to 3 photos of your storefront to Linda Smith at storefront@lakewood-wa.com. Make sure to include your name, business name, phone number, email and social media pages (if any).
Submission Deadline: December 7, 2020.
Winners will be announced December 14, 2020.