Langdon will once again be brighter come December, both literally and figuratively!

The community favorite event "Light up Langdon" is coming back for its third year, and Langdon and District Chamber of Commerce Treasurer Terri Torraville is really excited not only to bring the event back, but introduce several new things as well.

"This year we've also decided to add a Christmas market, we've actually teamed up with the Langdon Community Association for a joint Christmas market at 2 venues on December 3 so we have over 66 local vendors. We also decided to do a tree decorating contest; businesses have been invited to rent, so to speak, a tree to decorate, and then the community will vote on their favorite tree for prizes. Then there will be trees available for families to decorate as well," she said.

While the new additions are very exciting, the main event is of course the light displays itself! Torraville explained there are 3 categories, being:

  • The Griswold, a reference to the incredibly bright house from National Lampoons Christmas
  • Lights only
  • Themed display 

Each of the categories has a first and second place award, which is gift cards or certificates from local businesses. Torraville says having the awards be gift cards is a win-win for the community and local businesses.

"It supports the businesses, but it also gives people a little something extra to have for their Christmas shopping. It also might make them (winners and community) aware of businesses they didn't know were in town here, so then it gives a little better exposure for some of these businesses."

Organizing an event this big takes a lot of work, but Torraville said the Chamber does it not only to help local business but also to make Langdon a more fun community to live in.

"We all live in the community and work in the community and I think when you support your community that also supports local businesses, so it's all intertwined. They're not mutually exclusive, all these businesses, these people live here, their kids go to school here. It's like an ecosystem, everything is mutually dependent, so the community is just as important for the business owners as the businesses are."

Torraville added Light up Langdon isn't possible with the hard work of the Chamber board members and Community Association board members, who are all volunteers and put in a lot of work to help make the community brighter.

As for when the festival itself is happening, there are several dates to keep track of, being: 

  • Tree decorating: open now, tree lighting on Dec. 3, tree judging Dec. 3-10
  • Christmas Market: Dec. 3
  • Community decorating contest: open now, closes Dec. 10. Voting the following week.

Visitors or those just passing through are encouraged to take a drive around and see the decorated houses as Langdon lights up for the holidays!

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