Registration Open: 2025 Bethany Beach Coastal Christmas Showdown

Do you think you have the most festive home or business in Bethany Beach?  Enter the 2025 Coastal Christmas Showdown to find out!

Contest Rules:
Eligibility:

1. Participation is open to all homes and businesses within the corporate limits of Bethany Beach.
2. Entry is free!
3. Town Council members and staff are not eligible to win but are encouraged to participate.
4. By entering TOBB's Annual Coastal Christmas Showdown, you agree to abide by TOBB's official contest rules and decisions. 

1. Registration must be submitted between Saturay, November 1st, and Saturday, November 22nd (or when the maximum of 50 entries is reached).  Registration must be completed online via the green 'Register' button at the top of this page.  Incomplete entries or those that do not adhere to the Contest Rules will be disqualified at judges' discretion.
2. Participants agree to have their address posted on the Bethany Beach website/Facebook page. 
3. Participants agree to have one or more photos of their decorated residence/business exterior posted on the Bethany Beach website/Facebook page.  Pictures may also be posted in other social media outlets and in local media publications or websites.  Participants agree there will be no compensation of any kind for said posting or publication.  Please submit photos of your decorated home or business to jmalewski@townofbethanybeach.com with your address!
4. For judging, participants should ensure that all lights and decorations are in place and illuminated from November 29th through December 5th, after dusk.
5. Participants should pick up their flamingo lawn sign at Town Hall from Monday, November 24th through Wednesday, November 26th, from 9:00AM - 12:00PM daily.  This will identify your house as part of the competition.

1. The contest is for exterior decorations only.  Judging will be completed from outside the residence only.
2. Online voting will open on November 29, 2025, via web link.  Entries with the most votes will win, with a minimum of 1 prize and maximum of 5 prizes awarded per home/business division, for each of the five (5) categories below: 

• Best Coastal Theme - Public Voting
• Most Elegant (Best use of White Lights) - Public Voting
• Most Festive (Best use of Color Lights) - Public Voting
• Griswold Award - Public Voting
• Business Grand Prize...Judge's Favorite! - Judge Voting Only

3. Starting November 29th, the community will be able to submit votes for winners in four (4) public voting categories listed above.​
4. Judging will be based on "curb appeal" as viewed from the street only.  Therefore, only those decorations located on the street side of the property will be judged (corner lots will be judged from both streets).  Judges will not enter the property to view back or side yards.
5. Photos and/or videos will be posted to the Town's Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as www.townofbethanybeach.com to serve as a reminder of each entry.  The Town does not intend for votes to be based on the photos; photos are to remind voters of what they saw in person.  
6. On November 29th, December 6th, 13th, and 20th, Town trolleys will take visitors on a tour to view all houses and businesses participating in the Coastal Christmas Showdown.  An interactive Google Map and address list will be available to those wanting to drive themselves, or see displays mid-week.

1. Prizes include a "winner" sign for your lawn or business.  The Coastal Point and Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce will provide prizes for the winning business entries. 
2. Winners will be notified via the email or telephone number included in their registration.  On Saturday, December 6th, prizes will be awarded in person at the Bandstand Tree Lighting ceremony at 5:00PM.  You must be present to win! 
3. Winning entries will be posted after December 6th on the TOBB social media pages and website.
4. By accepting the prize, the selected winners grant permission to the Town of Bethany Beach to use their name, entry, and photo for advertising.