'Operation Sparkle' Brings Holiday Spirit to Downtown Frederick
By: Dawn White
Updated: December 11, 2012
FREDERICK, MD - Businesses in downtown Frederick are decked out for the holidays and for some friendly competition.
'Tis the season to get ready for the holidays and sweep away what fall left behind.
For Ec'clectibles Owner, Paul Thompson, it's also time for Coco the Kitty to help him win first place in Operation Sparkle for small window display.
"We try to do a couple different types of displays. There's always a whimsical display, and this is ours," says Thompson.
The Downtown Frederick Partnership sponsored the contest where businesses compete against each other for the best holiday themed window display.
"We hope that visitors interests will be sparked by seeing the exciting window displays, and of course, we also hope to create a festive ambiance," says Brittany Diehl, with the Downtown Frederick Partnership.
Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts won first place for their large window display. It's a Christmas tree made out of about 30 polar bears and owls. The snowy wonder took them two days to build.
"The idea came from my wife, and she was like we want to do a tree in the window, what can we do to make it unusual? So we said hey, we've got these very large polar bears. Let's make a tree out of them," says Tom England, owner of Dancing Bear.
The display is already a hit with customers.
"I thought it was really original and kind of unique. It looked all snowy and Christmasy. Then you take another look, and it was totally snugly," says Marieke Bier, a Dancing Bear customer.
Both winners will soon begin their designs plans for next year.
"I think it adds a great deal to the holiday spirit in downtown Frederick," says Thompson.
"It was really nice for a toy store to win first place in a window decorating contest. Something like Macy's has always been the standard for windows," says England. "Maybe one day Dancing Bear Toys will become the standard in Frederick."
That's a standard to bring business to downtown Frederick, one polar bear at a time.
For a list of the first to fourth place winners, and to see their pictures, click here.
