LEWES, Del. - Lewes Lights is a new initiative that aims to lift people's spirits before 2020 is over. Homeowners are invited to light up their homes this holiday season for others to see.
Organizers are hoping that every home in Lewes will shine bright for the first year of Lewes Lights and spark a friendly competition designed to bring others to town.
Carly Miller and Jess Bain will decorate and light up a home on Savannah Road, which is the first stop on the tour.
"Very vintage, lots of lights, a very large tree," Bain says. "We're going to have a few surprise elements."
"We plan to utilize the architectural features, the roof line," Miller says. "It will be very well lit, a beacon if you will."
Taryn Burris's home on Pilottown Road is also on the map.
"We are doing a Griswold theme, lots of lights, lots of blowups," Burris says.
Co-chairs Christian Mullins and Debra Evalds say people don't have to go all out to help them light up a dark year. Homeowners in Lewes can sign up to compete, but businesses can be a part of the tour too to show their support. People can follow a map on leweslights.org at their own pace.
"Anyone in the 19958 greater Lewes area can have their house as a pinpoint on the map," Evalds says. "However the actual featured homes that say 'Lewes Lights' will just be those in the City of Lewes."
Tracy Zigman says her neighborhood on Sussex Drive is normally the launch pad for the Lewes Christmas parade, but with COVID-19 canceling that event, she's inviting people to social distance while they watch the opening ceremony from their cars on December 5th.
"We actually have one of our neighbors building a light switch, so we'll be able to turn on the lights and sync them all together to create that Jingle Lane spirit," Zigman says.
Lewes Lights ignites competition and tourism. Mullins and Evalds hope people will travel from near and far to see the lights.
"Some of the awards that we are featuring are the best decorated door, the entrance award in Lewes," Mullins says. "It's as simple as putting up lights and a wreath and a welcome hospitality entrance to your home, all the way to a Clark Griswold of Lewes 2020 award, which includes the most lit up house and festive decorations."
The city-wide light competition begins December 4th and runs through New Years Eve. The deadline to sign up is Thanksgiving.