Holiday decorating completion winners announced
By Paul Hall on Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
LA GRANDE – (Information provided by the Union County Chamber) The Union County Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the third annual County Wide Holiday Decorating Competition. This year, in partnership with John J. Howard and Associates and Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, the competition had four categories for winners: Santa’s Choice (best house), Scrooge’s Best Business, Candy Cane Lane Neighborhood Award, and the Grinch’s Spirit (unique, clever, or just impressive). Categories were judged based on theme, creativity, and a sharp eye for energy efficiency – including LED lights, creative non-energy decorations, theme, and overall showmanship.
This year, the following winners received a combination of award certificates, energy credit certificates from OTEC, and custom yard trophies. Most yard trophies were delivered prior to the co-hosted Light Up the Night Holiday Lights Caravan, a joint event between the La Grande Main Street Downtown and the Union County Chamber, so the caravans could see the winners.
Scrooge’s Best Business Award was given to The Potter’s House at 1601 Sixth Street, for a combination of classic and fun décor (make sure to check out Santa with his custom mug!), followed closely was Falk’s Mini Mart / Sinclair at 363 N. Main Street in Union – an excellent commitment to lighting up the night. The Candy Cane Lane Neighborhood Award was given to the houses of South 20th Street in La Grande, including a close neighbor on Foothill Road. It was a difficult choice, with last year’s winners on “G” Avenue continuing to bring the spirit, as well as new nominations on Modelaire Drive and Ridge Road. Grinch’s Spirit was presented to 10203 Leonard Lane in Island City – with layers upon layers of lights, followed closely by 1511 “T” Avenue – for visual stimulation in every direction. The houses in this category were explosions of color, lights, and fun.
And finally, the Santa’s Choice Award was presented to 70408 Valley View Road in Elgin, aptly named “Cowboy Christmas,” with decorations and festivities throughout and the home continues to build on their display each year, of the 17 years the couple has been married. “This is, by far, our most difficulty award to present because there are so many amazing displays to choose from,” said Suzannah Moore Hemann, Chief Executive Officer of the Union County Chamber. Closely followed by other stunning displays include 755 5th Street of North Powder, last year’s best house 516 E. Fulton of Union, 10715 S. McAlister in Island City, and 1307 ½ Hall Street in La Grande. “The houses are impressive – definitely worth checking out if you missed them on the Caravan,” Moore-Hemann exuded, “It felt like the whole County came together to really up the holiday spirit this year.”
The Chamber received just shy of two hundred entries and the event continues to grow each year. “We’re so honored to have the opportunity to host a simple, fun ‘event’ for Union County,” Moore-Hemann commented. “We hope people will stop by for dinner or treats before heading out to look at lights, to still incorporate and engage our local businesses, but the Chamber loves simply hosting something like this to add special traditions to living in Union County.” There were nominations from across the valley and genuinely displays the importance of county-wide community.The Union County Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all participants for entering this fun, friendly challenges and looks forward to continuing to build on the momentum for years to come – and especially for an even bigger, brighter year in December 2022. It was remarkably successful to have a scoring rubric focusing heavily on energy efficiency as well as creativity – and decorators did not disappoint. Information and the caravan routes are available at the Chamber office (207 Depot, 541-963-8588) and on the Chamber’s website (http://visitunioncounty.org).
