Annual Home Decorating Contest Winners Revealed

The winners of the annual Fourth of July Home Decorating Contest have been announced, selected by a panel of judges, including Co-Honorary Mayors Billy and Janice Crystal, Susan Montgomery, Matt Rodman, Ron Weber, and last year’s winners David Trotti and Amy Kate Connolly.

“I love judging the Home Decorating Contest—I look forward to it every year,” said Sotheby’s Realtor and Home Decorating Contest Sponsor Montgomery.

Montgomery organizes the Home Decorating Contest with fellow Sotheby’s Realtor Joan Sather, who has sponsored the contest for 10 years. Together, the judges peruse competing homes in a golf cart, carefully inspecting each home for its bespoke quality, thematic integrity and overall effort.

This year’s winners were the Farnham family on Via De La Paz, whose yard decorations included a large Statue of Liberty and a sign reading “Hate Has No Home Here.” With elegant decorating throughout, impressive lawn ornamentation and a firm political message, the Farnhams won this year’s bevy of prizes, including gift cards from local businesses, an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol, a feature in next year’s parade program and an opportunity to judge the 2020 Home Decorating Contest.

The Taper family on Almar Avenue took home this year’s Sponsor Award (second place), strategically making their home’s theme a tribute to Billy and Janice Crystal.

“They were so great. They were definitely going for brownie points with the homage to the Crystals,” Montgomery said with a laugh.

Runners-up this year, who are receiving honorable mentions, include the Dean family on Via De La Paz, who chose a theme related to recycling. Another home that received honorable mention belonged to the Levin family, who played off this year’s parade theme (May the Fourth Be With You) with Star Wars characters and decorations.

A final honorable mention went to The Highlands on Avenida de Cortez—a bit outside the typical sphere of consideration due to the limitations of the golf cart.

“It was a really sweet display with homemade decorations,” Montgomery said. “They also put little flags up on each side of their fence, in front and back of their house—you could tell they put some time into it.”

“The Palisades is all about community, and that’s what makes this contest so special,” Montgomery continued. “We had some very nice entrants this year; it was a hard choice for the judges, but great fun for us handing out the ribbons to the winners.”