The Wright Place Flea Market, 1913 Lakin, took the “Judges First Place” award in the fourth annual Christmas Window Decorating Contest in downtown Great Bend. With a theme of “Winter Wonderland,” Wright Place earns $1,500 in prize money for its win.
Bauer Pike Law, 1310 Kansas, earned the “Judges 2nd Place” award of $1,000. With a theme of “Holiday Cheer,” the two snowscape painted windows were decorated by the Great Bend High School Art Club.
A panel of community members judged the 19 windows in this year’s competition. Wright Place and Bauer Pike wound up in a tie-breaker with both collecting 108 points. The judges noted that there were six other windows close in the competition’s judging.
Decorators Deklyn Craven and Shari Karst, 1218 Main Street, earned the third-prize “People’s Choice” award of $500, with the theme of “Wandering Woodlands.”
For the fourth consecutive year, an anonymous donor provided $3,000 to conduct the free contest as a way to encourage businesses to decorate store windows for Christmas. Boundaries for the window-decorating contest covered 10th to 18th Streets, and from Williams to Kansas Streets in Great Bend.
The event was organized by the Rosewood Roots & Wings Santa Committee that is associated with ‘Santas Around The World,’ the multicultural holiday exhibit, which is currently open for the season in downtown Great Bend.
Those interested in seeing this year’s contest windows online can view photos at https://www.santasaroundtheworld.com/2023-window-displays, or access the images at https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosewood_services/albums/72177720313093331
