The results are in on our 2015 Christmas Lights Contest.
Judged by 35 senior citizens who toured the town on Dec. 17, the winner of this year’s event is 4410 Airport Road, the home of Troy Cockrell.
Cockrell will receive prizes donated by Home Sweet Home Cafe, Kyla Jutte Mary Kay, the Rio Theater, The New Era, Two Dam Bagels and Breads Co., and Trash to Treasure.
Also receiving the same prizes is Ruth Spradlin, whose name was drawn from a hat filled with the names of people who tipped us off about hot locations for Christmas lights this year.
Though no prize is awarded for “best neighborhood,” that informal honor goes to Meridian Heights, behind Little Promises off Pleasant Valley Road, which offers some notable displays of lights and Christmas cards.
Here is a list of some of the best Christmas light displays we’ve discovered this season. We know there may be others but we didn’t get a tip about them or they may not have had their lights turned on when our scouts and judges were out and about, seeking the best displays.
In some cases we’ve listed entire blocks or neighborhoods that have above-average displays for your viewing pleasure.
Instead of simply listing individual addresses, we’re printing the route followed by our Senior Center judges.
From the Senior Center, here are the best lights options we’ve seen:
– Start with 1865 Grape (turn around at end of Grape)
– Turn left on Mountain View, right on Juniper, then right on 27th.
– Check out 2640 Jefferson (This house is visible from 27th, but is at end of dead end.)
– Back down 27th Avenue to Foothills Drive. Left to Fir Court.
– Right on Fir Court (turnaround in cul de sac). Back to Foothills and left on 29th.
– Check out 994 29th Ave.
– Right on Juniper, left on 35th.
– Right on Long, continue to Airport Road.
– Check out 4410 Airport (our winner).
– Left on 49th.
– Right on Locust, with turnaround.
– Mimosa Circle is worth a visit.
– Left on Main.
– Check out Valley View Logging at 46th and Main.
– Right on Pleasant Valley, right on North River and around to Northside.
– Check out 1000 and 1002 Northside.
– Right on Pleasant Valley to Meridian Heights. Ridgeview-area homes are visible from here… They are on a private drive, so we don’t recommend actually going there.
– Check out 28044, 28050, 28072 Meridian Heights Loop.
– Back to town…
– 1202 4th Ave. is definitely worth a stop. Enter up the steep slope from Main Street.
– Right on Old Holley, left on Nandina
– Right on Westwood.
– Check out 1470 Westwood.
– Left on Osage. Left on Sunset.
– Check out 1440 Sunset.
– Right on Nandina.
– Strawberry Loop may be worth a turn, but it depends if folks have their lights on…
– Left on Evergreen Lane.
– Check out 1361 Evergreen.
– Left on Old Holley Road, right on 1st Ave-nue.
– Left on Hawthorne, left on 3rd Avenue o Juniper.
– Right on Juniper and right on 4th Avenue.
– Left on Elm, left on 5th Avenue.
– Right on Kalmia, right on 6th Avenue.
– Check out 719 6th Ave.
– Left on Elm and right on 7th.
– Check out 200 7th Ave.
– Left on Birch, right on 8th to Alder.
– Right on 10th Avenue into Canyon Creek.
– Take Pinetop to Boulder Ridge, but pull onto Park and turn around, halfway up the hill.
– Exit to Elm on 10th Avenue.
– Take Elm to 18th Avenue and turn left to Fir.
– Left on Fir back to 17th, then back to Elm.
– 255 1st Avenue (Turbyne) is another great one, but turning around can be difficult, halfway up a dark hill. Best bet is the next driveway past the house, to the right, for turnaround.