Chamber awards winners of 2020 holiday window decorating competition

By Reader Staff

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the winners of the third annual Holiday Window Decorating Competition. The winners will receive free advertising courtesy of our generous donors, Blue Sky Broadcasting, Like Media and the Sandpoint Reader. 

Chamber ambassador Ricci Witte presents Finan McDonald with the People’s Choice award. Photo by Kate McAlister.

Chamber ambassador Ricci Witte presents Azalea Handpicked Style with the Secret Judge’s award. Photo by Kate McAlister.

Overall winner Outdoor Experience staff member Hobie Hiler, left, and owner Jenny Curto, center, accepting the certificate from Chamber staffer Ricci Witte, right. Photo by Kate McAlister.

The Window Decorating Competition is held each year beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving until the day before Christmas Eve, and voting is open to the public. There is also a panel of secret judges composed of community members ranging in age and background. The votes are tallied by the chamber staff, who recently presented the winners with their certificates. 

The Secret Judges vote winner was Azalea Handpicked Style for its birch tree-inspired paper decorations. 

People’s Choice went to Finan McDonald for its twinkly light display. 

Outdoor Experience was the Overall Winner for the store’s playful Santa-in-his-cups window featuring hand-cut snowflakes. 

The theme of the 2021 competition will be Silver and Gold, calls for participation will be early November. 

“The chamber of commerce wants to thank all the participants and is looking forward to seeing what they come up with for next year,” Said Ricci Witte, chamber staffer. “Thank you also to Keokee Media for designing the voting cards. We couldn’t have done this event without such enthusiastic community involvement.”