ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria has named four winners in this year’s Bright Holiday Lights decorating contest.
On Friday, two winners were announced in the residential category and two winners were announced in the business category.
Carol and Larry Craft’s home at 266 Gladiolus St. and Debbie White’s home at 313 North Bay Blvd. tied for first place in the residential category, which featured seven entries this year. The Crafts are repeat champions, having previously won the residential category in the inaugural Bright Holiday Lights contest in 2019.
The residential entries also included the Coolidge home on Magnolia Avenue, the Marshall home on Gladiolus Street, The Coneys home on Hammock Circle, the Carter home on Willow Avenue and the O’Neill home on Beach Avenue.
Beach Bums and The Anna Maria General Store – which also includes Dips Ice Cream – tied for first place in the business category, which featured six entries. The business entries also included Salt & Scissors, Island Cabana, the AMI Historical Museum and Sato Realty.
The entries were judged Thursday evening by Laura Micciche from the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, City Commissioner Carol Carter and city of Anna Maria Managerial Assistant Nick Poulin.
The judges were chauffeured around town in a golf cart piloted by Mayor Dan Murphy. Each judge ranked each entry on a one-to-five scale for street appeal, originality/creativity and design/use of lights.
Winners awarded
Late Friday afternoon, Murphy, Santa and Deputy Clerk/Code Enforcement Manager Debbie Haynes hopped in a city golf cart to deliver trophies to the winners.
The first stop was at the Craft home.
“Thank you for decorating so nicely this year,” Santa said when presenting the trophy to Carol and Larry Craft.
“We’re just hoping other people will start decorating,” Larry said.
“You might have accomplished that. We had more participants this year than we did last year. We’re thrilled about that,” Haynes said.
When asked why they put so much effort into their Christmas decorations, Larry said, “Because people walk by and smile when they see this.”
“To spread Christmas spirit,” Carol added, noting this is the 17th year they’ve decorated their Anna Maria home.
The Craft’s decorations include large pieces of driftwood and new this year are a lifelike replica of a reindeer and the Talavera Mexican pottery Nativity scene Larry gave Carol as a Christmas gift last year.
Having been informed that White was not home, the trio proceeded to the General Store.
A visit to White’s home the previous night revealed a whimsical decorating theme that includes an inflated unicorn and a festive table display.
Business winners
“Thank you so much,” Anna Maria General Store business owner Brian Seymour said when Santa presented him with the colorful blue trophy.
Seymour then handed the trophy to Thomas Powers, the General Store manager who designed the winter wonderland theme that includes a dazzling array of blue, white and purple lights.
“When you walk under all the lights it’s real pretty,” Powers said.
When asked how it felt to tie for first place, Powers said, “Awesome. I wasn’t expecting it. Thank you so much.”
“We’re happy we were recognized for the effort our team put in. We took our cue from what they’ve done up at City Hall. We’re happy to be among all those that participated because it really does make the street look more inviting during the holidays,” Seymour said, noting he hopes to also decorate the new City Pier Grill next year.
Beach Bums co-owner Lauren Sato accepted the trophy from Santa on behalf of the staff and the company that assisted with the “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” themed decorations that feature an inflatable likeness of actor Chevy Chase and several other references to the Christmas comedy classic.
“They worked really hard on it. It’s been fun to hear everyone’s response and watch everybody get a smile out of it,” Sato said.
“We had wonderful entries this year and the displays were absolutely phenomenal. We appreciate everybody participating,” Haynes said before returning to city hall, where Santa received visits from youngsters while seated in the city’s Bright Holiday Lights display.
