Decorate. Explore. Meet your neighbors.

Put up a strand of lights or cover the whole house—we'd love to have you participate. The goal isn't just to find the best decorations. It's to give neighbors a reason to get outside, explore Shaw Butte, and enjoy the holidays together.

The Shaw Butte Holiday Lights & Decorating Contest is a friendly neighborhood competition designed to encourage residents to decorate their homes, connect with neighbors, and help create a festive atmosphere throughout Shaw Butte.

The contest culminates in a special holiday edition of Front Yard Friday, when neighbors are encouraged to walk, bike, or drive through the neighborhood to enjoy the displays—and, if they’d like, set up in their own front yard, driveway, or porch to visit with neighbors and share cookies, candy canes, hot chocolate, or other treats.

Who Can Participate

  • Open to all homes within the Shaw Butte neighborhood.

  • No entry fee.

  • Residents can enter their own home through a simple online form.

  • Participation is easy: there is no expectation of elaborate or expensive decorations.

Categories

  • Best Overall Display — the complete package

  • Most Festive — strongest holiday spirit

  • Most Creative — original, unusual, or clever decorating

  • Best Traditional Display — classic holiday lights and decorations

  • Clark Griswold Award — biggest, brightest, most over-the-top display

  • Best Small-Space Display — porch, doorway, window, patio, or other modest display

  • Neighbors’ Choice — selected by public voting

November 1

Contest Registration Opens

Use the form below to register your display OR nominate a neighbor.

The Timeline

December 13

Registration Deadline

Be sure to register or nominate neighbors by 11:59PM!

December 14-17

Contest Voting

Vote for your favorite displays!

December 18

Front Yard Friday Festival Edition

Winners Announced!

Interested in hosting?

Fill out the form below to share your interest in hosting a future Front Yard Friday gathering with support from SBNA.

Making it happen is easy! We are looking for volunteer neighbors to host one Friday evening.

Hosting is simple:

  1. Pick a Date: Choose any Friday evening that works for you—we think the last Friday of the month makes a nice, easy to remember choice.

  2. Open Your Yard: Set out a few chairs and put out the SBNA Front Yard Friday sign.

  3. Spread the Word: We’ll help you let the immediate neighbors know the time and location.

SBNA will provide volunteer hosts with:

  • SBNA Front Yard Friday yard sign

  • folding table with black tablecloth

  • tabletop water dispenser with water, ice, and cups

  • flyers/brochures/stickers or other informational materials

Hosts are welcome, but not required, to provide their choice of light snacks such as pretzels, cookies, or a veggie tray.

We recognize that life responsibilities (like caring for small children) or financial considerations may make providing a snack difficult. To ensure this is never an obstacle, we are happy to bring out the SBNA popcorn machine to share a hot, buttery, salty snack with your neighbors!

Don't let the snack stop you from hosting a Front Yard Friday and building connections with your neighbors.