The annual Light Up the Night will be held Friday, kicking off the holiday season in Steamboat Springs. (File photo by John F. Russell)

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The official start of the holiday season in Steamboat Springs arrives this weekend with Main Street Steamboat Springs’ Light Up the Night.

The event will be held from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Friday on the Routt County Courthouse lawn.

“Be on time,” said Lisa Popovich, Main Street Steamboat executive director. “This is the shortest event of the year. Also, make a dinner reservation if you want to eat out after. Everyone else will have the same idea.”

On Friday, about 60 trees along Lincoln Avenue will be illuminated in addition to the large tree on the courthouse lawn, thanks to Steamboat Lightscapes, the exterior lighting company that donates the lights, lighting installation, lift and service annually for the event.

If the festive lighting isn’t persuasive enough, JJ Johnson of Rex’s Family of Restaurants has coordinated the donation of 700 cookies and 70 gallons of hot cocoa from area restaurants.

“Downtown has about 30,000 LEDs this year,” said Dustin Lindahl, co-owner of Steamboat Lightscapes. “Be on the lookout for the new cool white lighting that we’ve added as well as the multi-colored stars.”

When it comes to decorating for the holidays, Lindahl offered a few tips.

Twinkle lights add extra holiday touch

While every client is different when it comes to lighting preferences, with twinkle lights, there is that slow and soft effect that adds an extra bit of magic, especially when it’s snowing, Lindahl said.

“Specialty lights are also fun for clients who want something different — something to complement classic tree lights,” Lindahl said. “Lit spheres can definitely add that extra touch.”

Which lights to choose?

“We use LED lighting for our clients and recommend that type of lighting as it is much more energy efficient and the colors are so vibrant,” he said.

Holiday decorating starts…

“Any time is a good time to start decorating, but from warmth and a safety perspective, it’s often better for homeowners to get their lights up before the cold temps and snow,” Lindahl said. “If snow starts to fly earlier, it’s important to install roof-line lighting before you have a build up of snow and ice. This helps protect not only our crew but also the homeowner’s roof and shingles.

“Accessibility also plays a factor in when to decorate,” he continued. “It tends to be easier to install lights when ladders can more readily reach roofs and trees in areas that aren’t buried in feet of snow. And we usually turn on lights right around Thanksgiving as this really marks the start of the season in Steamboat.”

To reach Audrey Dwyer, call 970-871-4229, email adwyer@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @Audrey_Dwyer1.