The holidays are here. It’s a time of giving, but it’s also a time for competing — for the best festive lights and decorations.
The Deck the Drive Competition helped put residents and visitors alike in the holiday spirit. Storefronts along Wilton Drive competed for top honors by putting on their best display of lights, tinsel, and festive flair.
Top honors went to The Pub. The staff transformed the front, top, and inside of the pub into a winter wonderland. Its prize for first place is $2,500.
“We are all elated, we all pulled together and helped get this done,” The Pub’s Mark Rivera said. “Manager Cliff Roberts and Jim Walker did a lot of the logistics and getting most of it done together with the staff. We also pulled together to really promote it all over social media and getting our guests to be a part of the fun. This year we all really needed this sparkle of Christmas joy and to make things a little more cheerful on the drive.”
Second place went to Claudia Castillo ART Studio.
Photo via Wilton Drive, Facebook.
“We are very grateful and excited to win this prize,” Castillo said. “My hope was to inspire and engage the businesses to participate in this exciting event.”
She won $1,000 for transforming the exterior of her studio into a colorful Christmas scene.
“My idea was to provide an art installation with ornaments that would be seen during the day and at night and be festive for the holidays to end this year on a happy note,” she said. “The ornaments on the concrete sidewalk express holiday wishes in different languages, conveying that we are a diverse and inclusive community that is connected regardless of where we are from.”
Third place and a $1,000 prize went to Apt 9F. This location went all-in with a rooftop snowman, reindeer, Christmas tree, along with snowflakes, candy canes, and red bows out front.
Photo via Wilton Drive, Facebook.
The Wilton Manors Improvement District spearheads Deck the Dive. Matt Colunga, the owner of Johnson’s, donated the prize money.
“Everyone on the drive did an awesome job and really got into it,” Rivera said. “We also are grateful to have Matt Colunga put this all together. Hopefully next year we have this again and more businesses participate.”
To learn more about Deck the Drive visit wiltondrive.org/deck-the-drive.
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