History
Illuminate Somers organized by Somers Lions Club
Illuminate Somers 2023 Judges Winners
- Category
- Best Classic Decorations
- Best Figurines and Inflatables
- Most Original/Creative
- Community Choice
- Winner
- 3 Wellington Lane
- 1 Somerset Drive
- 13 Chambers Drive
- 1 Somerset Drive
- Family
- Norton Family
- Guyot Family
- DeFeo Family
- Guyot Family
Illuminate Somers 2022 Judges Winners
- Category
- Best Overall Decorations
- Brightest/Most Colorful
- Most Original/Creative
- Best Figurines/Inflatables
- Best Classic Decorations
- Winner
- 3 Wellington Lane
- 6 Deans Bridge Road
- 13 Chambers Drive
- 2532 Quaker Church Rd.
- 7 Loundsbury Drive
- Family
- Norton Family
- Ondrovic Family
- DeFeo Family
- Dellaripa Family
- Baker Family
2021 Illuminate Somers Winners
- Category
- Community Choice
- Best Overall
- Brightest Decorations
- Most Colorful Decorations
- Best Classic Display
- Most Original Decorations
- Winner
- 1 Somerset Drive
- 1 Somerset Drive
- 9 Meadowview Lane
- 6 Deans Bridge
- 3 Wellington Lane
- 13 Chambers Drive
- Family
- Guyot Family
- Guyot Family
- Villareale Family
- Ondrovic Family
- Norton Family
- DeFeo Family
2020 Illuminate Somers Results
Out of the darkness came illumination…and Somers sure didn’t let the pandemic slow down our holiday spirit in 2020! The Somers Lions Club would like to thank all those who entered the Illuminate Somers Light Decorating Contest and all those in the community who participated in, and voted during, the Parade of Lights.
Over 150 cars, filled with cheerful Somers residents, turned out for the parade and, although the Somers Highway Department had worked for 48 hours straight preparing/clearing our town roads after Mother Nature dumped over a foot of snow on us, they still showed up with their trucks and volunteers to lead our Parade of Lights. With their help, the help of the Somers Police Department and the help of some very dedicated Somers residents who stepped up last minute, we weaved our way through our previous Illuminate Somers winners, who again didn’t disappoint this year.
Due to the current state of the world, we made an effort to hold a contact-free event. And although we didn’t have hot chocolate and glow sticks to warm and brighten our night, it was so impressive how organized our parade-goers were. This year we had signups for time slots between 6p and 7:30p and cars showed up on time and departed without incident. With the exception of a few cars in our last caravan who missed the turn into Shenorock, very few got lost during the tour, and the addition of an interactive Holiday Light Bingo Card allowed people to stay entertained while driving around.
Prizes this year were decided by the Somers Lions Board who wanted to show their support for the restaurants in town who have been struggling so much due to the pandemic. All our winners will receive gift certificates from these Somers favorites — Mamma Rosa Ristorante, Il Forno Italian Kitchen & Bar, Somers Super Deli, Barnwood Grill Restaurant, Fratelli’s Pizza & Pasta, Muscoot Tavern, Le Fontane Ristorante, Route 100 Market & Deli and DeCicco & Sons Somers. Please continue to support these restaurants in 2021!
And now all the votes are in…so without further ado, the 2020 Illuminate Somers winners are:
Outdoor Competition
1st - Ruschil Family of Twin Knolls - St. Mary’s Hospital for Children
2nd - Guyot Family of Somerset Drive - Guiding Eyes for the Blind
3rd - Ondrovic Family of Deans Bridge Road - Blythedale Children’s Hospital
Indoor Competition
1st - Sator Family of Dunhill Drive - Somers Historical Society
Outdoor Honorable Mentions
Kaminski Family of Lincolndale - Somers Historical Society
Quinn Family of Crest Drive - Westchester Humane Society
Baker Family of Lounsbury Drive - Alzheimers Association
Worsley Family of Mekeel Street - Somers Senior Citizen
Gallino Family of Lakewood Drive - Somers Education Foundation
Our whole community is the real winner, but special congratulations to all who put in the time and effort to illuminate our town great town. The Somers Lions wishes you peace, happiness and, of course, health in 2021!!
2019 Illuminate Somers Results
All the votes are in! The Somers Lions would like to thank all those who entered the Illuminate Somers Light Decorating Contest and all those in the community who participated in the Parade of Lights. Somers certainly continues to have holiday spirit!! Over 100+ cars turned up for the parade and with the help of the Somers Highway Department we tried to stay together as we weaved through our many communities of meticulously illuminated homes. We are again allowing winners to illuminate the charity of their choice, so without further ado, the 2019 Illuminate Somers winners are:
Outdoor Competition
1st - Ondrovic Family of Deans Bridge Road - Blythedale Children’s Hospital
2nd - Kaminski Family in Lake Lincolndale - Somers Historical Society
3rd - Simpson Family in Shenorock - Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Indoor Competition
1st - Sator Family of Dunhill Drive - Somers Historical Society
Community Choice Award
Guyot Family of Somerset Drive - Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Outdoor Honorable Mentions
Worsley Family of Mekeel Street - Somers Senior Citizen
Congratulations to all! Our whole community is the real winner! Special thank you to Route 100 Market for donating cups and lids for hot chocolate and to the Somers Record for their ongoing community partnership. Thank you for the time and effort that everyone puts into illuminating all that is good during the holiday season. Peace and happiness to all in the new year.
2018 Illuminate Somers Results
The Somers Lions would like to thank all those who entered the Illuminate Somers Light Decorating Contest and all those in the community who braved the threat of rain to participate in the Parade of Lights. Somers certainly has holiday spirit. It is difficult to drive into any of our many communities and not see multiple homes that were meticulously illuminated. It was Lion Herb Reimann’s vision that Illuminate Somers could be a way to give back to the community and we certainly felt his presence with us during our caravan of 130+ Somers residents who all got to share in that joy this season together. We again asked registrants to illuminate the charity of their choice, so without further delay below are your 2018 Illuminate Somers Winners:
- 1st Prize (Outside) - Guyot Family illuminating Blythedale Children’s Hospital
- 2nd Prize (Outside) - Ondrovic Family illuminating Blythedale Children’s Hospital
- 3rd Prize & Community Choice (Outside) - Aloisio Family illuminating Somers Senior Citizen
- 1st Prize (Indoor) - Aloisio Family illuminating ASPCA
- Honorable Mentions (Outdoor) - Juan Family, Yovane Family illuminating Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Donnelly Family illuminating North East Special Recreation, Kaminski Family illuminating Somers Historical Society
- Honorable Mentions (Indoor) - Bambach Family illuminating Friends of Karen, Zimmerman Family illuminating Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Congratulations to all!! Our whole community is the real winner because of the time and effort that everyone puts into decorating their homes. Thank you!
2017 Illuminate Somers Results
Lion Herb Reimann, lovingly called "The Herbinator," was the originator of Illuminate Somers. When he proposed the friendly competition to the Board of the Somers Lions his vision was to spread some holiday cheer by giving back to the community for the support they provide The Somers Lions throughout the year. He believed that residents who spend a lot of time decorating would have a chance of winning a prize plus the people of the town could have a list of houses that they could drive around to with their families and enjoy them.
- Self Decorated Winners:
- 1st Prize (Outside) - Gallino Family
- Runner Up (Outside) - Guyot Family
- 1st Prize (Indoor) - Ondrovic Family
- Professionally Decorated Winners:
- 1st Prize (Outside) - 61 Lakewood, Somers
- Community Choice Winner:
- (Outside) - 3 Magnolia, Mahopac
2016 Illuminate Somers Results
-
Outdoor Winners:
- 1st Place - Errol & Christina Ruschil in Twin Knolls
- 2nd Place - John & Dana Ruggiero
- 3rd Place - Gallino Family illuminating Blythdale Children's Hospital
-
Indoor Winners:
- 1st Place - Ruggiero Family
- 2nd Place - Zimmermann Family illuminating Somers Historical Society
- 3rd Place - Bambach Family illuminating Friends of Karen
- Indoor Honorable Mentions: Elezaj Family for Blythdale Children's Hospital, Rinaldi Family, Reimann Family, Somers Diner for Toys for Tots, Tremblay Family illuminating Guiding Eyes for the Blind and Zeitchick Family
- Outdoor Honorable Mentions: Billingsley Real Estate office, Delzio Family and Primiano Family for Friends of Karen, Guyot Family for Blythdale Children's Hospital, Evans Family for Toys for Tots, Kaminski Family, Mooren Family for Somers Angels, Ondrovic Family and the majority of the Shenorock Area Community, including Donnelly Family, Iannuzzi Family and the Brightest and Flashiest Illumination in Somers
- To play video click the triangle in the lower left corner of the box below:
2015 Illuminate Somers Results
- 1st Place - Ruggiero family on Sunderland Lane
- 2nd Place - Tremblay family on Lounsbury Drive
- 3rd Place - Evans family on Emerson Court
- Community Choice Winner - Randazzo family on Park Lane
2014 Illuminate Somers Results
- 1st Place - Mooren family on Flower Drive
- 2nd Place - Ruggiero family on Sunderland Lane
- 3rd Place - Barcia family on Tomahawk Street
- Community Choice Winner - Ruggiero family on Sunderland Lane
SOMERS, N.Y. -- Twenty-three houses participated in the first-ever "Illuminate Somers" contest run by The Somers Lions Club , but only three could be winners.
The voting included input from more than 500 community tallies, along with a panel of judges that made their decisions based on five criteria: "most illuminated", "most traditional", "most original", "most holiday spirited" and "most use of objects".
"We will definitely do this again," said Lions President Herb Reimann, who said everyone had a lot of fun.
Go here for the full album.
