30th anniversary of Nights of Lights and Light Up the Night Visitor Choice Awards presentations

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Feb. 28, 2024 - PRLog -- Local business owners, community leaders, residents, and guests riding the famous Old Town Trolley, Nights of Lights tours have voted for the top three hospitality businesses that displayed elaborate holiday lighting during the annual Light Up the Night! contest.

The City of St. Augustine's Nights of Lights is world-renowned for more than three million sparkling lights stretching for nearly 20 blocks with the event held from November 18, 2023 to January 28, 2024. The international visitor and local business experience started 30 years ago and is consistently voted as one of the Top 10 "Best Holiday Lighting Displays in the World" and "Best Places To Spend Christmas In The U.S." along with additional acclaims by domestic and international publications, broadcasts, and travel sites.

This year's Nights of Lights Visitors Choice Awards honors and prizes were presented to consistent first-place winners at the Hilton St. Augustine Bayfront. Second-place winners were named at the Casablanca Inn On The Bay and the Tini Martini Bar. Third place was awarded to Renaissance St. Augustine Historic Downtown Hotel.

To formally award the businesses, on February 21, Dave Chatterton, Old Town Trolley Tours & Attractions of St. Augustine General Manager hosted an excursion and trophy awards plus check and prize presentations, and photo shoots with program sponsors and winning business leaders. Aboard the trolley, key influencers rode to locations with Susan Phillips, President and CEO of the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau; Ericha Gore, Director of Membership Growth and Events at St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce; Kristen Young, Senior Multimedia Sales Associate for Mint Magazine, and Carren Reale, Senior Account Executive with WSOS-FM 103.9.

Businesses and owners receiving top votes for lighting displays received customized trophies and $5,000 in complimentary advertising campaigns, cash, and public recognition for their involvement and hard work. Partners in the prize promotions included Old Town Trolley; St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce; St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau; Mint Magazine, and WSOS-FM 103.9. Additionally, Chatterton gave all winners a collectible USB thumb drive complete with event details, graphics, and logos about this year's Nights of Lights.

During Nights of Lights, Old Town Trolley guests voted on the winning businesses and other establishments that were and were not directly on the tour route with a website which includes photos of holiday lighting displays. For more information, visit www.trolleytours.com/holidaylightcontest  and https://www.trolleytours.com/st-augustine or call (904) 829-3800.