About Holiday Nights Southern Nights

Holiday Lights, Southern Nights:
Atlanta's Holiday Decorating Contest

Residents Can Show Holiday Spirit, Vote and Win Prizes Online

ATLANTA (November 22, 2007) - This holiday season, all Metro Atlanta residents have the opportunity to participate in an online contest to choose the photos that most represent Atlanta's Southern holiday spirit.

“Holiday Lights, Southern Nights” is sponsored by Atlanta.net, the visitor web site of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, and by Brand Atlanta. The contest offers a $2,500 cash grand prize plus other valuable prizes. To enter, contestants can upload original photos they’ve taken to Atlanta.net. The photos that generate the highest tally of votes from their fellow Metro Atlanta residents will win. It’s up to the community to select the photos that best represent our local holiday decorating traditions.

Contestants will be required to select their favorite radio station when they submit their photo online at Atlanta.net. The radio station that generates the most submissions will receive a $500 cash prize for its favorite charity.

In addition to the $2,500 grand prize, other prizes include:

• a $1,000 Macy’s gift card for the first runner-up;
• a $500 Fresh Market gift card for the second runner-up.

Winners will also receive a gift package of tickets to Atlanta's favorite attractions, valued at $310.

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin is officially kicking off the competition via a video message Thanksgiving night at the 60^th lighting of the Macy's Great Tree at Lenox Square. Contest winners will be chosen based on the votes of Metro Atlanta residents who can view the submissions and vote online at www.Atlanta.net, allowing the entire community a chance to take part in this holiday contest.

Photo submissions will be accepted beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov, 22.  Participants are asked to upload an original photo to the www.Atlanta.net website with a short explanation of how the photo captures our Southern holiday spirit.  Entries can be submitted online by visiting the ATL Insider section of http://www.atlanta.net.  Detailed contest rules are posted on the site. Winning entries will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 16.

This holiday season, Atlantans are reminded to consider the following tips to help protect our environment:

• Use light emitting diode (LED) holiday lights to save energy and money
• Use a live Christmas tree and plant it after the holidays
• Recycle all appropriate decorating products
• Visit websites that exclusively offer “green” products such as recycled
  gift-wrapping, greeting cards, gift boxes, etc.
• Give a “green” charity donation on behalf of friends and family as a gift option

About the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

Established in 1913, ACVB is a private, nonprofit organization created exclusively to market metro Atlanta and Georgia as a premier convention, meeting and leisure destination in the regional, national and international marketplace and to favorably impact the Atlanta economy through conventions and tourism. For more information, visit www.atlanta.net.

About Brand Atlanta

Initiated in 2005, Brand Atlanta began as a public/private initiative charged with developing and implementing an integrated marketing plan for Atlanta. Brand Atlanta, Inc., which is currently funded via the City of Atlanta utilizing revenues derived from hotel/motel visitation and rental car use, now operates as a 501(c)(3) organization.  For more information, please visit Brand Atlanta online at www.brandatlanta.com.