Notice to BIA members:

Port Credit AGM
Tuesday, February 28th
6:30 pm
The Port Credit Legion
34 Front St. N.
Upstairs Round Room.

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Port Credit White Lights Contest Winners!

This year's White Light Contest in Port Credit was slow to start but ended with quite a few outstanding displays, says contest judge Brenda McGarrell.

The slow start made her job tougher so McGarrell looked for something different and easily found it among the many stores who chose to participate in the contest.

"This year, I noticed, strings of White Lights were used more creatively," says McGarrell.  

Some interesting examples she cites are Tumi Crafts that hung the lights straight and tied them together with ribbons. Sisters Gifts used the lights as backdrops behind merchandise displays for example. Private Moments Lingerie hid white lights in gauze fabrics for a ceiling/flooring effect. Bridal Creations, Impressionable Gifts and Coral Coast Computerized Swimwear outlined objects to stand out, for example a full palm tree was part of Coral Coast's display. We Sisters Three, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Frame Magic and Fashion Hut, featured full white light Christmas trees for their displays.

Of course there were stores such as the Serenity Spa and Frame Magic, that lined the perimeter of their windows in White Light garlands and added additional white light snowflake ornaments, ribbon lights, hanging star string lights - some with motion - that gave even more sparkle to many of the festive displays.

FRAM Building Group and Slokker Canada Corporation put together an exceptional exterior display for the St. Lawrence Starch building with all the white lights in numerousperimeter trees and the tops of surrounding wrought iron fencing, says McGarrell.

The winners of the contest are as follows:

In first place was Windermere Gallery with its full-scale white light studded tree extending its branches and a full front window and additionalChristmas trees decorated in white lights.  "This was truly a spectacular white light show and very effective," explains McGarrell.

In second place was Impressionable Gifts featuring a crisp white profusion - with sheer draping and white lights, sparkling floor of snow made of white lights and hanging motion snowflakes adding to the drama. The contrast of red decorations gives it a candy cane theme, McGarrell says.

In third place was Bridal Creations and Couture that featured a romantic, soft white light scene made up of a ceiling of billowing gauze around white lights and draping down. A misty floor created with gauze around white lights completes the frame around a single white satin wedding gown with softly folded layers.

Honourable mention goes to:

Michael’s Hearing Centre whose window bordered in White Lights, with hanging snowflakes, motion reindeer and Christmas tree is complete with Santa himself. This was a Christmas card photo window.

Fuel Clothing Station had a modern minimalist approach using a single string of white lights across an upper wide white banner, white spotlights and a spectacular white light encrusted wreath on the door.

Hickox Jewellers featured small windows dressed with white light garlands, small white light Christmas trees, and ornaments all pulled together to make an attractive display. Adding two planters on the sidewalk planted with white light Christmas trees added dimension to the scale of the display.

Shamrock Dollar Store used white branches decorated in white lights, sparkling window garlands, and hanging white light stars.

The top three winners receive a $150 gift certificate, provided by the Port Credit Business Association, from a local merchant or retailer of their choice.

To view the seasonal displays hurry down to Port Credit now before the local merchants take them down.