Light Up Your Downtown: Key Insights from Our Holiday Lighting Webinar

How Colorado communities are creating magical holiday experiences while staying on budget

The holiday season brings a special kind of magic to downtown districts across Colorado. But creating those twinkling, Instagram-worthy displays that draw visitors and boost local businesses? That takes more than just stringing up some lights. Recently, Downtown Colorado Inc. (DCI) hosted a webinar with Cord Mossberg from Xmas Lite Installation LLC to help community leaders navigate the ins and outs of holiday lighting programs. Here’s what we learned.

Planning Ahead Pays Off

One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation was the importance of early planning. Tim Walsworth from Durango BID put it perfectly: “It’s hard to talk about next Christmas when it’s January or February.” The reality is that by the time communities are thinking about holiday lighting in November, budgets are often already locked in for that year.

Cord emphasized that while his company can absolutely handle last-minute requests (they’re the “911 call for emergencies”), the most successful displays come from communities that plan multiple years in advance. This allows time for proper budgeting, detailed design discussions, and coordination with various stakeholders.

The timing challenge is real. When you’re trying to secure city partnerships or funding, municipal leaders are juggling competing priorities. By the time budget season rolls around, you’re already planning for the following year. As Tim noted, “The plans we’ll start making early 2026 will be for 2027.”

The Budget Conversation

Let’s talk money. Multiple participants acknowledged the financial challenges of creating impressive holiday displays, especially for smaller communities. The good news? There are strategies to make it work.

Cord’s company works with communities to create scalable solutions. Whether you’re working with a modest budget or have more resources to invest, there are options. The key is being upfront about what you can spend and what your priorities are. Do you want a few statement pieces, or broader coverage throughout your district? Are you looking for traditional looks or something more unique?

One practical tip that emerged: Consider multi-year contracts. Not only does this help with budgeting and planning, but it can also provide better value over time as you’re not starting from scratch each season.

Labor and Maintenance: The Hidden Challenges

Here’s something that might surprise you: finding reliable labor for installation and takedown can be one of the biggest hurdles, especially for companies that work across multiple communities during the compressed holiday season.

Cord shared that they start planning for the holiday season as early as August or September, coordinating schedules, communicating with communities about specific needs, and ensuring they have the labor force to handle multiple installations simultaneously. This is another reason why early communication with vendors is so valuable.

Maintenance is another consideration. What happens if lights burn out or storms damage displays? Having a plan for ongoing maintenance throughout the season ensures your investment looks great from Thanksgiving through New Year’s.

The Partnership Approach

What made this webinar particularly valuable was seeing how it emerged organically from a real partnership. DCI’s partnership with one of its member districts and Xmas Light Installation led to the realization that many other communities were likely grappling with the same questions and challenges.

The conversation highlighted how private companies can work flexibly with communities of all sizes. They’re not just vendors but partners in creating experiences that bring people downtown, support local businesses, and create lasting memories.

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Downtown Development Authorities (DDAs) and Urban Renewal Authorities (URAs) all have an interest in placemaking and activating spaces for communities to thrive. Consider working with all available community partners to highlight key projects that have been recently completed, feature historic or significant community assets, or engage the business community to bring everyone together as lighting displays and seasonal activation is a rising tide that lifts all boats.

Looking Forward

As we wrap up this holiday season, it’s already time to start thinking about next year. Whether your community is just starting to explore holiday lighting programs or looking to expand existing displays, the key lessons are clear: plan early, be realistic about budgets and constraints, and find partners who understand the unique needs of downtown districts.

Key Takeaways

• Start planning 12-18 months ahead for best results and budget alignment
• Multi-year contracts can provide better value and consistency
• Labor availability during the compressed holiday season makes early coordination essential
• Flexible solutions exist for communities of all sizes and budgets
• Maintenance plans ensure displays look great throughout the entire season
• Partnership approach beats transactional vendor relationships
• Consider long-term strategy (3-5 years) rather than year-to-year decisions
• Early is better than perfect when scheduling holiday events and parties
• Private companies can provide the “easy button” for communities without internal capacity

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Want to learn more about creating vibrant downtown experiences? Join us for DCI’s annual meeting on January 22nd, or come to the In The Game conference in Grand Junction, April 1-3, 2025. Grand Junction’s downtown is doing incredible things, and we can’t wait to show you!

For questions about holiday lighting or to connect with Cord Mossberg at Xmas Light Installation LLC, reach out to DCI and we’ll make the connection.