Berlin Continues America 250 Celebration With Patriotic Decorating Contest

BERLIN, CT — The Fourth of July may be over, but Berlin's celebration of America's 250th anniversary is continuing, with residents and businesses being invited to cover the town in red, white, and blue.

The town said this week it is still accepting entries for its “Berlin in Red, White & Blue” Patriotic Decorating Contest, part of Berlin's observance of the nation's semiquincentennial.

“From our red, white & blue crosswalks to our freshly painted Worthington Meeting House, our town is proudly celebrating America’s 250th year!” the town wrote on social media this week.

“The celebration isn’t over yet!” the town added, encouraging residents and businesses to decorate their properties and enter the contest.

There is no fee to participate, and entrants can compete for four awards, each carrying a $100 Visa gift card.

The “Spirit of 1776” award will recognize a residential display that emphasizes patriotism, civic pride, and the 250th anniversary. The “Lights of Liberty” award is for the home display judged to make the most outstanding use of lighting and visual impact.

Businesses and restaurants can compete for the “Main Street Spark” award, which will recognize one display for its patriotic creativity, community engagement, and visual appeal.

Eligible entries can also participate in public voting for the “We The People” award, which will go to the display receiving the most votes from Berlin residents and visitors. Participants can opt out of the public voting portion of the contest.

Displays must be located within Berlin, visible from a public street or roadway, and remain in place through Sept. 26.

Decorations must also be safely installed, appropriate for public viewing, and comply with local laws and property regulations.

Participants can separately decide whether to allow the town to publish their display addresses in maps, voting materials, driving-tour guides, and promotional materials.

They can also choose whether to permit photographs and videos of their displays to be used by the town.

The registration deadline is Aug. 26.

Completed registration forms can be mailed to Berlin Town Clerk Kate Wall, 240 Kensington Road, Berlin, CT 06037, or emailed to kwall@berlinct.gov.

To see a video on Berlin's America 250 celebrations, click on this link.