Businesses and charities across Horsham District are being invited to showcase their festive creativity by entering Horsham District Council's annual Christmas Magic Displays competition, part of this year's ‘Buy Local Gift Happy' campaign.
The competition celebrates the festive windows and displays which help to make our towns and villages a magical place to be over the festive period.
All entrants will benefit from promotion throughout December, with the winners receiving additional media coverage and a framed certificate.
To enter, businesses and charities simply need to express their interest via an online form on the Council website by Friday 6 November 2026.
Entrants will then be invited to submit a high-quality photograph of their display before public voting opens in December.
The public will vote for their favourite displays to determine the overall winners in the window, interior and charity display categories.
There will be awards for winning displays across six rural towns and villages within Horsham District, as well as awards for winning displays within Horsham town centre, supported by Your Horsham, Horsham’s Business Improvement District. In 2025, more than 2,400 visitors and residents placed their vote, with the competition growing year on year.
Building on the success of last year's introduction of the Off-High-Street category, the Council is expanding the award in 2026 to further recognise the important contribution made by businesses located outside traditional high street settings. The category is open to businesses such as hotels, vineyards, visitor attractions and other destination venues with festive displays visible to customers.
All winners will be announced the week before Christmas.
Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Property, Cllr Jonathan Taylor commented: “I'm delighted that our Christmas Magic Displays competition is returning for another year, showcasing the businesses and charities who bring creativity and a magical atmosphere to Horsham District.
If you have a festive display visible to customers, I encourage you to get involved and be part of this popular celebration of local enterprise.”
Express your interest to enter this year's Christmas Magic Displays competition on the Council's website by 6 November.