Rotorua Christmas Lights Trail opens with 23 houses

The lights are on at the 23 houses from 8.30pm to 10.30pm until December 31. Photo / File

The annual Rotorua Christmas Lights Trail is kicking off tonight and, with 23 registered houses, it's sure to be a great night out.

Lynmore resident Cheree Watkins has been involved in the trail for around 20 years.

She said the thing that kept her coming back every year was seeing children's faces light up.

"I love the colour and I love to see the kids laugh and sing. My display is really for children, everything is low for kids.

"It's very interactive, there's things where you have to clap to make them go, they have to push a button and they sing and they dance outside," Watkins said.

Watkins said her display's point of difference waws how interactive it was, as opposed to most other displays that were static.

"I do a different theme every year, I did Noah's Ark one year. I just pick a theme or a colour and I go with that colour."

"This year it's blue and white, and I've got a big handmade snowman out there who's rather handsome with a lovely big hat."

Damage on the power bill isn't as bad as you might think; Watkins said her bill is only $50 extra for the month of December.

Aisha Okeremi, from Professionals Rotorua, is organising the event.

"Entries closed on Friday at 5pm and we actually had quite a few last-minute entries," Okeremi siad.

"Last year and this year we've had text voting available for the public, so when people vote $3 is deducted and donated to the local mountain bike club.

"They have a first response vehicle for the forest so the money goes towards helping maintain and keep that going, and we also have teams of judges that go out, so it's a combination of text voting and judging," Orekemi said.

The lights are on at the houses from 8.30pm to 10.30pm until December 31.

There is $2000 up for grabs in the competition, with $1000 for the best lit home, $500 for runner up, $250 for third place and $250 for best first home entrant.

The 23 houses on the trail.