Make Merrill’s small-town charm sparkle this holiday season! The City of Merrill and the Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce are partnering to hold Merrill’s First Holiday Decorating Contest. This contest is open to City of Merrill residents and businesses located within the city limits. Prizes will be awarded from first to third place, with awards given for the top three in the home decorating category and also the top three in the business decorating category.
To have an opportunity to win a prize, homeowners should call the Merrill Transit office at 715.536.7112 (open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) to indicate they are entering the contest. This will ensure their home is entered on the map for the Tour of Lights. Business owners should call the Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce at 715.536.9474 to indicate they wish to enter the contest. The deadline to call to enter is Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, at 5:00 p.m.
The judges of the contest will be riders on Merrill’s Tour of Lights Bus Ride on Dec. 14, 2022.
“In an effort to make Merrill’s Tour of Lights Bus Ride more exciting, we thought hosting a citywide holiday decorating contest would encourage more people to decorate their homes and businesses, and make it more fun for riders by having them be the judges,” said Brad Brummond, Merrill Transit Administrator.
Each year, the Merrill-Go-Round picks up riders at their homes, or a location within the city of Merrill, and takes them on a bus ride to tour the city of Merrill, to see the homes and businesses that are decorated for the holidays. The duration of the tour is usually two hours or less. The Tour of Lights Bus Ride is free for the public to ride and is fun for all ages.
This year’s Tour of Lights Bus Ride will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. and reservations are required.
To reserve your seat on the Tour of Lights Bus Ride, call Merrill Transit at 715.536.7112. A limited number of seats are available, so reservations should be made as soon as possible.
If you love to decorate for the holidays, this contest is the perfect reason to deck your halls with lights indoors and out and to help Merrill sparkle!
If decorating is not your thing, reserve your seat on the Tour of Lights Bus Ride on Dec. 14 and be a judge in Merrill’s First Holiday Decorating Contest! Bring your friends or family–or come alone and leave with friends–and see Merrill’s small-town charm shine this holiday season.