Coloured Lights Will Sparkle Someone’s Eyes
By John Swartz
The Orillia and District Chamber of Commerce has been running a contest for people who decorated their homes with Christmas lights. Now the turkey dinner is done and Boxing Day will be more subdued than we’re used to, a great activity – especially for back seat munchkins, is to take a tour of Orillia and see the lights.
The contest is called Light Up Orillia and was the chamber’s response last year to stay at home orders.
“People (can) go to orillia.com if they want to see where the decorations are taking place and I’ll be constantly updating with a map so you can drive out to these things,” said the chamber’s promotions & special events director, Doug Bunker.
Gawkers can vote their favourite online and decorators can earn some prizes.
“We have some sponsors of gift cards. The big winner (last year) got a $1,000 gift card and it was for Home Depot in Orillia,” Bunker said. “There was a whole bunch of winners; Tim Horton’s sent a whole whack of $15 cards, we gave a least a couple hundred of those out.”
You plan your route before you go using the map the chamber has provided, or your navigator can point you on to the next using the Tripvia app.
One house decorator, Derick Lehmann, told SUNonline/Orillia any prizes he might win for his 420 Dale Drive entry he’ll donate to the Sharing Place Food Centre.
Here’s an album of a few of the homes entered in to the contest – plus a few others the camera liked.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
