Lights in the Park 2025

The 2025 season of “Lights in the Park” is fast approaching, and the Pell City Parks & Recreation Department is preparing for another year of incredible displays at Lakeside Park. Awards are back this year, so be sure to vote for your favorites!

NEW THIS YEAR: Invest in the Magic

We are thrilled with the growing excitement and dedication of our participants, which is what makes Lights in the Park such a cherished holiday tradition! As the event continues to grow, we are introducing a new Sustainability Initiative. This small change ensures a spectacular and reliable event that brings joy to our entire community for years to come.

Think of this as a direct investment in the event's longevity and quality. Your contribution increases the number of lights in the park, either through your own display or by supporting the Pell City Parks & Recreation display. To register for this year's event, please choose the option that works best for you:

Option A: Standard Contribution Fee: Pay a non-refundable $50 contribution fee at registration. This simple, one-time payment will be used by the Parks & Recreation Department to purchase new displays.

Option B: Direct Display Investment: Instead of the fee, you can submit a valid, dated receipt showing the purchase of at least $50 in new Christmas lights or display materials purchased within the last six months. This ensures your contribution goes directly into enhancing your own display, making the event brighter than ever!

AWARDS and RECOGNITION return in 2025!

In 2025, community displays will be judged on their creativity and quality, and special recognition will go to the winners. Not only will attendees of the 2025 Lights in the Park be invited to vote on their favorite displays, but a panel of independent judges will also be assembled to vote on several categories from among all participants.

The winners will be recognized in a variety of ways, which means it is more important than ever for your organization to be a part of this community event.

Judges will vote for “BEST OVERALL - JUDGE’S CHOICE”. There will be nine additional categories for the general public to vote on. Voting will be done by scanning a QR code and selecting one choice from the categories listed below:

• Silent Night Award – Simple and clean display
• White Christmas Award – Best use of white lights
• Deck the Halls Award – Most over-the-top use of lighting
• Christmas is in the Air Award – Best use of inflatables
• The Reason for the Season Award – Best Nativity display
• Holly Jolly Christmas Award - Best display that makes you laugh
• Rock Around the Christmas Tree Award – Best use of animation
• The Rudolph Award – Best use of holiday characters
• Christmas Story Award – Best youth inspired display

Voting will begin the first lighting day of our event, Friday, November 28th and end at 9pm Thursday, December 18th. Signs with a QR code will be distributed throughout the park. Visitors will use their mobile phone cameras to scan the code, which takes them directly to our poll. Winners in each category receive:

• Award signs placed next to each winning display, which will remain onsite throughout the duration of the event.
• Winners will be recognized on the “The City of Pell City” Facebook page, as well as the Pell City Parks & Recreation Facebook page.
• All winners will be recognized in January’s digital editions of Discover and LakeLife24/7 magazines AND, also featured in print in the February 2025 issue of LakeLife 24/7.

UPDATED GUIDELINES ON DISPLAYS:

• Participation is no longer free. We ask that you support our Sustainability Initiative and invest an additional $50 in your display this year.
• Participants will be notified of their assigned locations the first week of November.
• Your display must be lighted using “Outdoor Lights” ONLY, as they are more resistant to wet and freezing conditions.
• You must set up your own display, and FIRMLY secure all parts to the ground.
• You must provide your own extension cord. Only one electrical connection will be allotted per display. (Parks Maintenance staff turns all displays on/off each night.)
• Your display must include decorations depicting a holiday scene or theme. All displays must have more components than just a sign/banner and a figure or inflatable.
• The displays are exposed to extreme weather conditions therefore, you must make sure yours is constructed from weather resistant materials.
• Wrap your extension cord receptacle in water resistant plastic to prevent shorts.

SPECIAL NOTICE: THE CITY OF PELL CITY AND THE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF PROPERTY OR DAMAGE TO ANY DISPLAYS WHILE ON CITY PROPERTY. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST THE REMOVAL OF ANY DISPLAY THAT DETERIORATES TO AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL.