Battle Ground opens registration for third Battle of the Lights competition

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’Tis the season to be jolly for Battle Ground residents as they can deck their yards and enter the city’s annual holiday-decorating competition.

Battle Ground is hosting its third annual “Battle of the Lights,” in which residents can register their homes to be featured on the city’s holiday map and turn neighborhoods into winter wonderlands and compete against other homes participating.

The event, first launched by the Battle Ground Parks and Recreation Department in 2022, invites homeowners to adorn their yards with lights, animatronics and festive décor for a chance to win prizes and neighborhood bragging rights. City Communications Manager Alisha Smith noted, last year, 27 local homeowners participated in the competition, with over 1,500 residents casting their votes for the coveted People’s Choice Award.

“Being able to see people take ownership or feel like they’re part of it is something that makes us really happy to see that … they’re embracing this program,” Smith said.

The awards people can vote upon include:

People’s Choice — Awarded to the home with the most votes from the community.

Mayor’s Choice — Selected by Battle Ground Mayor Troy McCoy.Parks &

Recreation Choice — Chosen by the Parks and Recreation staff after touring the decorated homes.

Sponsor’s Choice — Picked by Columbia Credit Union, a three-time sponsor of the event.

The Griswold Award — Named after the iconic holiday film “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” this prize goes to the home that embodies the “Griswold spirit” through over-the-top decorations.



Last year’s winner went all-out by covering every inch of their yard and home in holiday décor.

“The Griswold Award [winners] in my opinion very much earned that award,” Smith said. “They got decorations [everywhere]. There’s no blank space in their front yard, on their house. They really decked out their yard,” Smith said.

Each winner will receive a prize valued at $100, courtesy of Columbia Credit Union.
Tour of the Lights

From Dec. 2 to Dec. 22, residents can explore the holiday lights across Battle Ground using an interactive map available on the city’s website. Through this map, visitors can vote for their favorite displays to determine the People’s Choice winner.

Smith noted that the community voting aspect offers residents a holiday experience special to Battle Ground.

“I’ve heard people … get hot chocolate and load up the family van [to] look at the lights together, and they make an evening of it. Those are the types of things that our Parks and Recreation staff is really going for — trying to … create those family traditions that people can enjoy,” Smith said.

Residents interested in entering the competition have until midnight Sunday, Nov. 24 to register their homes. The Tour of the Lights map will be available on the city’s website starting Dec. 2, and the winners will be announced on Dec. 23 on both the website and the city’s Facebook page.

For more details and registration, visit cityofbg.org/934/Battle-of-Lights---Holiday-Decorating-Co.