Rockingham Times

Once again the Citywide Neighborhood Committee Holiday Lights Contest received enthusiastic support, with 42 Portsmouth residents participating. Mayor Deaglan McEachern will honor the winners in person at the January 9, 2023 City Council meeting.

The top three winners are:

• Best Traditional: John Chavez, 80 Pine Street;
• Most Creative: Matt & Nicole Beyer, 580 F.W. Hartford Drive; and
• Kids’ Choice: Ray Clauson, 33 Madison Street.

“The Holiday Lights Contest is a wonderful way to bring neighborhoods together and to celebrate with one another,” said Mayor McEachern. “Each year, so many families put so much time and effort into the displays and into the judging, helping to bring holiday spirit and light up our beautiful City.

“I would like to thank our business community, who came together to support this holiday contest: Jay and Amanda McSharry of the JGroup donated $500, Ed Hayes of Ricci Lumber donated $500 and McKinnons, Hannafords and Market Basket each donated $250. The generous support of these Portsmouth businesses is greatly appreciated. In addition, Seacoast Media Group was an in-kind sponsor, providing publicity and advertising.”

The entries were judged by members of the Citywide Neighborhood Committee, along with the following children: Henry Ahn, Lillian Carrol, Ainsely and Bresnan Chisholm, Hugh Gatchell, Elliot and Isobel Kittle, Anne and Lucy Martin, and TJ Srimouksavanh.

Honorable Mention winners are Heather Pettis*, Polly Dale*, Joe & Linda Arsenault*, Lyndsey Bouzakine*, Tim MacCannell, Mike Lianza, Kris Kraft, Cindy Ward, Molly Shaw Wilson, Julie McCann and a special commendation to Al Bailey.

*Kids’ Choice Honorable Mention Winners

The Committee has created a map of the Holiday Lights Contest entries so that residents can tour the lighted locations route by car, using this interactive map with the winners marked with red snowflakes and the honorable mentions in green:

The map is also available as a printable PDF with addresses:

CAPTION: Citywide Neighborhood Committee contest judges included Tracy Kittle and her two children Elliott and Isobel, shown here while judging one of the Honorable Mention winners' displays.
Original source can be found here.