News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville’s Seventh Annual Merry and Bright Holiday Home Challenge gives you the chance to transform your home into an award-winner.
The event is an exterior single-family home decorating contest around a 15-mile radius of Cookeville’s Historic Courthouse Square. Cookeville Leisure Services Recreation Programmer Sally Herren said the contest is meant to boost holiday cheer for Cookeville residents.
“It gets everyone involved,” Herren said. “Not just the people who are decorating their house but also the community as well. Because whenever you enter the contest you are put on a tour of lights map that anyone can pick up and then they go around the community and get to see your light display.”
The entry deadline for the contest is November 20 at 4pm. The entry fee is $10. Herren said contest applicants should keep in mind as their home address will be on the public map, spectators may drive by at any time. Herren said that even before she was charged with the event four years ago, she has seen holiday house gazing celebrated in Cookeville.
“It seems like the traction of this event picks up more and more every year,” Herren said. “There’s more people that enter in and then with Cookeville growing so much, there’s more and more people that go around.”
Herren said that many citizens who enjoy the holiday lights go both near and far to see their favorite houses.
“I mean people started in like October on some of these houses,” Herren said. “So I can’t wait to see when they finally all have their displays up.”
Contest judging takes place between November 25th and November 30th, all contest homes must have their lights on between 5pm and 10pm.
