In response to the recent Holiday Lights posts on GMG, Pauline Bresnahan shared a fun memory about a holiday lights competition sponsored by local realtors on Cape Ann in 1985. Her father, Philip McComiskey, won the most festive home category that inaugural year. This First Lighting Contest held by Lufkin & Brown Inc., awarded prizes in three categories.
Reporter Ken Fish wrote that “Midge Kart’s display on 729 Western Avenue, Magnolia – a combination of red velvet ribbon, Christmas lights and spotlights — won in the most traditional category…Philip McComiskey’s lighted trees at 514 Essex Avenue won the festive award…The creche at Lester Mountain Sr.’s home at 2A Pigeon Hill Ct., Rockport won in the religious category…”
Judges were Fitz Lufkin, Ruth Pino, John Kent, Sharon Surma, Diane Polley (author of Let’s Go! Animal Tracks in the Snow, a Cape Ann Reads Honor book), Susan Scola and AnthonyMilitello. Read the article for the fun details and bonus – find out who was awarded the honorable mentions!
Gloucester Daily Times article, “A Light Touch for Christmas: Light Displays”, by Ken Fish (click to enlarge the photos of the article or here for a Printable PDF “A Light Touch for Christmas” GDT article)
Good Morning Gloucester 