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ITHACA, NY DECEMBER, 2016 — Downtown Ithaca is pleased to announce its winners from its very competitive Holiday Window Competition, a month long contest where 26 downtown businesses decked their windows in holiday-themed fashion and vied for juried and public votes for a chance to win a donation for their charity of choice.
Juried selections were made in two categories, Most Festive and Most Uniquely Ithaca, and the public votes were cast online and through paper ballots available at each of the participating locations.
Petrune, 126 E. State St., won the juried choice as the Most Festive for its “Snow Angel” display, a shimmering apparition in a snow forest. Moosewood Restaurant, in the Dewitt Mall, came in a close second in this contest with its magical Winter Wonderland in the Finger Lakes design, which features a blue and white color scheme with lit trees, glitter reindeer, and various ornaments.
In the Most Uniquely Ithaca competition, the top prize goes to Handwork Ithaca’s Artisan Cooperative, 102 W. State St., which created a stunning display that showcases an enchanting array of handmade gifts and a moonlit birch-wood forest painted by Handwork artist Christi Sobel. Second place is given to The Cornell Store on The Commons for its coordinated use of Cornell gifts and the university’s signature red color to create a fun display.
As part of the juried competition, the first-place winners are awarded a $100 donation for their charity, so Petrune will be presented with a donation for its charity, Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts, and Handwork garnered a donation for Ithaca Free Health Clinic.
For the popular vote, the winner receives a $500 donation and the first and second runner-up receives a $250 donation to their charity.
Linsey Layne won this contest with well over 1,000 votes. During this extremely close race, the store rallied its loyal customers to vote for its display ( a mix of holiday fashion and decor) using an aggressive social media campaign to beat out the second place winner Body Gear, which had an impressive collection of nutcrackers and bears in its display.
Linsey Layne competed for Prader-Willi Syndrome, which is personal to store owner Linsey Grover since her son suffers from this complex genetic condition. Body Gear was given a $250 donation for Blue Sky Center for Learning and the second runner up Schooley’s Jewelry Store was awarded the same donation for its charity, The SPCA of Tompkins County.
The Downtown Ithaca Alliance thanks all of the participating businesses for their hard work in creating these amazing window displays.
Images of the winner displays are available below, but please take the time to come downtown to check them out in person. While you’re here complete some after holiday shopping at our many fine shops and boutiques. Parking is free downtown through December 26.
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Media Contact
Darlene M. Donohue
Communications Coordinator
Downtown Ithaca Alliance
allison@downtownithaca.com
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