Window Decorating
Winners announced for annual Troy Victorian Stroll Window Decorating Contest
TROY, N.Y. >> Windows were wonderfully decorated over the weekend in downtown Troy for the annual Troy Victorian Stroll Window Decorating Contest, and the winners have now been announced.
Each year, along with the popular Stroll event, the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce holds the contest for downtown shop owners to show off their decorating talents.
“The Troy Victorian Stroll Window Decorating Contest is a festive tradition and breathes holiday light into the city of Troy,” said chamber president Kate Manley. “The Chamber appreciates the businesses that take the time to create these wonderful displays which adds to the ambiance for the Victorian Stroll and holiday season.”
The theme for the contest this year was “Winter Holidays Around The World.”
This year’s winners, announced Monday evening after event-goers had a chance to get their votes in online, were Christopher Brian Salon for People’s Choice, Mindful Intentions for Best Use of Theme and T and J Soaps for Best In Show. An honorable mention was also awarded to Troy Web Consulting for Most Delicious display, featuring foods from around the globe.
“We look forward to the decorating contest all year,” said owner Christopher Feml of Christopher Brian Salon. The salon’s Fourth Street window display won for the People’s Choice award for the second time in a row this year. It incorporated Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali and Chinese New Year. “This particular theme took a bit of extra creativity but we really enjoyed it,” Feml said.
In its first year participating in the Window Decorating Contest, River Street shop Mindful Intentions took home a prize too. Keeping with the global theme, India, China, Tibet, Morocco, Poland, Sweden, Vietnam, Italy, the Philippines, and the U.S. were all represented in the window.
“We are grateful to be part of Troy’s small business community,” said JD Fielding of Mindful Intentions, adding that the business is grateful to be recognized in this way. “And, as a Lower River Street merchant, we were very excited to see so many people during the Stroll make their way down to us. Many great shops to see and shop at here in
Troy.”
T and J Soaps, also located on River Street, has been part of the Window Contest many times. This year, the shop window was hand-painted with holiday imagery associated with 10 different winter celebrations from around the world inside snow globes, and the centerpiece was a custom designed laser cut globe with different city skylines from around the world on the edges.
“The theme was a lot of fun to work with and I even learned a lot through researching,” said owner The- resa Van Duyne. “Each year we spend a lot of time creating every component of our displays.”
“We are so honored to receive Best in Show this year,” she continued. “This was a tough year because everyone created such wonderful displays.”