Sunshine Sentinel

City of Port St. Lucie issued the following announcement on Nov. 19

The City of Port St. Lucie is challenging residents to untangle their lights, pull out the inflatables and start decorating for the fifth annual PSLinLights Holiday Light Contest. This outdoor holiday-decorating contest is a festive way to demonstrate community pride and light up the holiday season. Residents can sign up online beginning Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, through Jan. 3, 2021, at www.CityofPSL.com/PSLinLights. The best part: it’s free to enter.

Because of COVID-19, the holiday bus tour will be replaced with a premiere Facebook Live, ‘Tis the Season! Holiday Extravaganza at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. For those over-the-top holiday decorations enthusiasts, your home could be featured on this local holiday show if you enter the PSLinLights contest by Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020.

In total, seven prizes are awarded in three categories:

• “New Kid on the Block:” This category is for first-time residential entries only (Gold, silver and bronze)
• “PSL Showstopper:” This category is for best overall residential light display (Gold, silver and bronze)
• “Light up the Neighborhood:” Sponsored by the City’s Neighborhood Improvement and Community Engagement (NICE) Program. Residents are encouraged to gather at least six of their neighbors to enter their homes on the map for the City’s most festive NICE neighborhood award judged by City employees. Find your NICE neighborhood here: www.cityofpsl.com/NICE.

Voting for categories of “New Kid on the Block” and “PSL Showstopper” will be conducted anonymously through an online survey by residents on the City’s website during Judging Week, which starts 8 a.m. Jan. 4, 2021, to midnight Jan. 7, 2021. The number of votes will determine the winners. Gold winners will receive a decorative yard sign and a $100 gift card. Silver winners will receive an honorable mention certificate and a $50 gift card. Bronze winners will receive a $25 gift card.

The “Light Up the Neighborhood” winner will be determined by City staff. When six or more households within a NICE (Neighborhood Improvement and Community Engagement) neighborhood enter in the PSLinLights Holiday Contest, a neighborhood is automatically qualified. Each participating household from the winning neighborhood receives a winner’s certificate presented at a future City Council Meeting and a $25 gift card. A trophy with the winning neighborhood name will be displayed at City Hall.

New for 2020, The City Port St. Lucie is encouraging businesses to decorate their storefront (or front door, window or the ho-ho-whole building) to help create a festive environment that makes our City a destination to visit, shop, and celebrate the holiday season. One business will win this friendly competition by collecting the most votes for 'People's Choice'.

Winners will be announced publicly on the City of Port St. Lucie’s website and social media accounts, Twitter and Facebook, on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. The winners also will be congratulated and acknowledged at a future City Council meeting.

When holiday light enthusiasts register their home and business in the contest, the City adds the display information into a searchable database, creating a must-see holiday light display list with pictures and a map. The holiday light map can be used by the entire community to create their own holiday light tour of the City.

So, string your lights and deck the halls for the community to enjoy this holiday season! For contest rules and entry information, visit www.CityofPSL.com/PSLinLights.

Original source can be found here.