More Lights, More Holiday Cheer

DECORAH, Iowa—This holiday season, Decorah residents may notice more holiday lights and decorations in the downtown. The College Drive Bridge is adorned with warm white garland lights, the City of Decorah's Water Street Park / Norm Smith Plaza trees are wrapped in lights, and three more blocks (16 additional light poles) in the downtown have been added to include red bows, garland, and large lit snowflakes on the historic light poles. Downtown Decorah Betterment Association, Decorah's Self-Supporting Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) Committee, the City of Decorah, and the Decorah Area Chamber collaborated to add more cheer this year. "We have an award-winning downtown," says Downtown Decorah Betterment Chair Jenny Harman, "and these additions not only foster civic pride, they contribute to the aesthetic of the small business ecosystem. They are beautiful additions AND they are good for our local economy." SSMID Committee member Dr. John Wilmes, who first brought the College Drive Bridge lighting idea forward in 2024, is pleased with the efforts. "We've heard a lot of positive comments about the bridge lighting which is in its second year," he shared, "It's great for bikes, pedestrians, and the Luther students who are walking into the downtown district." Special Thank Yous are extended to Decorah Bank & Trust for matching a SSMID contribution which funded the expansion of the decor on the street light poles to Winnebago and Washington Streets, to Ryan Vsetecka with Holiday Lighting Pros for installations and maintenance of lights on the College Drive Bridge and Water Street Park, and to the City of Decorah Public Works and Street Departments for installation of the light pole decor. Streets Superintendent Kevin Nelson is pleased to support the holiday effort. Each year his crew does the installation work for the snowflakes, garlands, and red bows that adorn the light poles. He says, "Our work definitely follows the seasons. We know that when leaf pickup is coming to an end, one of our next tasks is the decorations for the light poles. We are happy to help the town get in the holiday spirit."