JUDGING FOR HOLIDAY OF LIGHTS TO BE HELD DEC. 7

It is time for home and business owners to start lighting up for the holiday season.

Time is getting short, says Laura Sparkman, a spokesperson for the annual Holiday of Lights contest. "We'll be judging the lights in early December," she said.

The Holiday of Lights program is sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee. Citizens nominate homes and businesses in seven sections of Cape Girardeau for annual awards, and Beautification Committee members serve as judges.

Nominations for the eighth annual event must be received at the Chamber of Commerce office on Mount Auburn Road by Dec. 4. Only homes and businesses that are nominated will be eligible to win, and people are encouraged to nominate their own property.

Winners receive certificates of appreciation and a Holiday of Lights yard sign to be displayed throughout December.

Judging will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 7. Addresses of the winners will be made available to the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, which arranges for a bus tour to go past many of the winners' homes.

Nomination forms are available at the chamber or at the CVB. About 60 homes and businesses were nominated last year.

The CVB already has established the date for the Holiday of Lights bus tour. It will be held two nights -- Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 -- starting at 7 p.m.

The tour will leave from the CVB, 100 Broadway, and last about an hour. Tickets at $1 per person may be purchased in advance at the CVB office and the days of the tour just prior to the tour.

Another big Holiday of Lights program is at Cape Girardeau County North Park. A lighting ceremony to kick off the park program will be held Wednesday. The ceremony, at Shelter No. 8 in the park, will start at 5:45 p.m..

The annual event is sponsored by the Cape Girardeau County Commission and the County Park Board.

Choirs from the Salvation Army and Mid-America Teen Challenge, and the Cotner Brass Ensemble will provide music at the ceremony.

Celebrity guests Dave Courvoisier and Charlie Neese of KFVS 12 will do the traditional countdown with the audience at the ceremony at 6:25 p.m. and throw the switch to light up the park.

The Salvation Army canteen will provide hot chocolate for people attending the lighting ceremony.

This year marks the 11th year for the holiday display. The tradition was started in 1987 with 11 displays. It has grown to a record number of 197 displays this year. Church groups, individuals, businesses and civic organizations sponsor the displays.

The park will be open for viewing from dusk to 11:30 p.m. nightly from Nov. 25 through New Year's Eve. There is no admission.