Downtown businesses will host a Holiday Light Contest through Dec. 16, with Mayor Harvey Ward and another special guest judge to pick the top display.  

Residents can also cast their ballots after visiting the 10 participating locations, all within half a mile of each other. Mike Palmer, co-founder of The Knot, said the people’s vote will be a factor in the final winner along with the special judges’ selection.  

Palmer said the lighting displays can focus on any holiday the business wants to select. He said the contest doesn’t have many rules besides that for the first edition. The local businesses each put some money in a pot for the winner to take home, and Palmer said the goal is to simply give downtown a more festive look.  

“The overall hope is to bring these lights up and to give downtown a much more interesting holiday feel,” Palmer said.  

On Saturday, residents can join in the walk to each location before a short awards ceremony at the Hippodrome Theatre. During the crawl to all the businesses, participants can pick up a card that entitles them to a treat at some of the businesses.  

The event will start at the parking garage next to Loosey’s Downtown at 7 p.m. and end around two hours later.  

Palmer and some of the other businesses have also started creating a downtown business organization that can liaison with the city and community. Called GO Downtown, the organization is still in the works, but the Holiday Lights Contest marks its first event.  

Palmer noted that the creation of a group like this is a part of Gainesville’s downtown strategic plan—created by a third-party company.  

Participating locations include Boca Fiesta, Loosey’s Downtown, The Knot, City Church, V Pizza and Sidecar, The Bull, Flaco’s, Vecino’s, Vivid Music Hall and South Main Station (Humble Wood Fired Pizza & Bingo Deli).  

You can also vote online before the actual event, using a QR code available at the businesses.