Jean and Greg Sexton have been named the winners of Owensboro Municipal Utilities’ 2025 Christmas Light Contest, earning bragging rights, a $250 OMU gift card, and a sign for their yard after impressing judges with a festive, all-sides display at their home on East 19th Street.
The award was announced during Thursday’s OMU board meeting by General Manager Tim Lyons, who said the Sextons’ entry “rose above the rest” in a field of 11 homes.
Decorating has been a tradition for the Sextons throughout their 32-year marriage, and for the past 23 years at their current home, they’ve continued to build their display a little more each season.
“It pretty much grows every year,” Greg said. “At our first house, we decorated — not quite as much as this — but we always had lights on the house, a few snowmen out front, a couple Christmas trees. Then we moved to this house, and every year it just keeps getting more and more.”
Their winning setup includes a lighted nativity scene, a section dedicated to the Grinch, waving Santa and Mrs. Claus inflatables, snowmen, and a display featuring penguins throwing snowballs at one another.
They had never officially entered the contest before, though neighbors had signed them up in years past. This time, they nominated themselves — and it paid off.
“We’ve always thought about entering,” Jean said. “But then we’d add more and think, ‘I don’t really have it where I want it to be judged.’ Finally, this year was a good year, and I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to nominate ourselves.’ Looks like I picked the winner — or they picked the winner.”
The couple said winning the contest felt “pretty exciting” and they were thankful for the recognition.
“There’s a lot of houses that decorate in Owensboro for Christmas,” they said. “They’re all winners.”
