FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — The Fort Fairfield Quality of Place Council is seeking to spark some excitement in the community for the holidays with an electrifying new project — the Fort Fairfield Celebration of Lights.
This new, community-wide initiative is designed to bring more light to some of the darkest days of the year by encouraging businesses and homeowners to create a more festive atmosphere in town by decorating their storefronts and homes.
“We’ve been meeting with business and community leaders for months now to refine our plans to bring more buzz to Main Street,” explained Phil Christensen, president of the Quality of Place Council. “We’ve been drawing up plans to illuminate some areas downtown and working with business owners to help incentivize them to join in the fun. The response has been terrific, and despite some challenges with this early winter weather, we are excited to put the next phase of the plan into action.”
Over the past few weeks, the council has allocated several thousand dollars to replace some of the decorations that were destroyed when the Community Bandstand collapsed, and to invest in additional lights for downtown businesses and landmarks. Those lights will be on nightly, 4-10 p.m., from Dec. 2 to Jan. 2. Now, the council is encouraging property owners to join in the fun.
Any address is Fort Fairfield may participate in the Celebration of Lights home decorating competition. A top-secret panel of judges will travel throughout the community from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, to select the top three holiday light displays. Those homeowners will win valuable gift cards and prizes from a variety of local businesses.
To register, homeowners must email ffqualityplace@yahoo.com with their name, address and phone number by midnight Dec. 14. Those who are not computer-savvy may contact Tim Goff at 939-2440 and provide that same information to enter.
“This is a great chance for the young, and the young at heart, to enjoy a tradition that many members of the council fondly recall: driving through neighborhoods and oohing and aahing at the dazzling lights glistening on a blanket of fresh fallen snow.”
He said, “It is our hope that by encouraging our residents to create some beautiful displays, we can create new traditions for everyone to enjoy.”
For more information or to get involved, contact Christensen at 227-1644 or email ffqualityplace@yahoo.com.
