A record breaking year for Otley Snowman Trail

The trail was set up in 2017 with the aim of brightening up everyone's Christmas.

Best small window winner Yorkshire Orthodontics (Image: submitted)

Nigel Francis, Snowman Trail co-event organiser said: "Over the years it has gone from strength to strength and now we believe that it is possibly the UK’s largest trail with this year over a hundred companies and businesses taking part.

"The snow people varied from a simple paper snowman to full window displays, and the standard, for the most part, was very high. In fact, this year we had to use the public vote to separate the winners.

The Otley Courthouse window (Image: submitted)

“When we looked at the entries, we chose a number which we considered were the best, but we would have had about a dozen winners, so we looked at which snowmen the public had chosen and that gave us an overall winner in both classes. "Last year we created a special award for originality section, and again this year we ran the class again and chose Zeraschilli, in Kirkgate Arcade, for his use of chillies with a snowman, like a play on words.

Otley Community hub and library window (Image: submitted)

"Once again, we produced a record page booklet with 40 pages and within a week we were almost out of stock, with 990 booklets going straight away. We can only say sorry if you did not get a booklet this year. Again, we must thank all our advertisers who supported us, all the businesses and shops who put in snow people, and the public of Otley and the surrounding area for doing the trail. The look of excitement and the enthusiasm shows just how much all the people, young and old enjoyed the trail.

Otley Snowman Trail picture competition winner Sophie (Image: submitted)

"Shortly the snow people will have to return to their homes and to where they live for the rest of the year, but I am sure we will see them all again next November/December."

The winner of the Christmas Song Competition was Millie who named the song 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'.

The winner of the #MyOtleySnowman Competition was Sophia.

Competition winner Millie (Image: submitted)

Otley Snowman Trail - winners 2023

Best Large Window

Winner: iVision Opticians

Runner Up: Otley Courthouse

Third Place: JBM Bargains

Highly Commended: Skipton Building Society

Highly Commended: Paley’s Carpets

Best Small Window

Winner: Yorkshire Orthodontics

Runner Up: Otley Community Hub & Library

Third Place: Grade 1 Barbers

Highly Commended: Otley & Yeadon Labour Party

Highly Commended: Sainsbury’s

Special Award for originality: Zeraschilli