Photo courtesy of Jennifer Andries KayKo Baton Studio won first place in the annual Christmas Tree Walk at the Lyon County Museum. Shades of the Past won second place, and Boulder Estates placed third.

MARSHALL — The Lyon County Museum had a busy 2023 holiday season, and it showed at events like the annual Indoor Christmas Tree Walk. Museum Director Jennifer Andries said the tree walk had grown — both in the number of groups decorating trees, and in the donations visitors made to vote for their favorite entries.

“They were all beautiful trees. We heard many great compliments from visitors this year,” Andries said.

A total of 26 local businesses and groups decorated Christmas trees for the 11th annual tree walk. That was a new high for participation, she said.

Visitors also raised more than $2,700 for the museum by filling donation boxes under their top trees. That was over $800 more than the 2022 tree walk raised, Andries said.

This week, the museum announced the top three trees as picked by voters. The tree decorated by KayKo Baton Studio won first place, and trees decorated by the Shades of the Past car club and Boulder Estates won second and third place.

Those three groups also had winning trees in 2022 — however, that year it was Shades of the Past that placed first, and KayKo that placed second.

“They all have good supporters,” Andries said of this year’s top three winners.

The tree walk’s old record high number of entries was about 24, Andries said. With 26 trees this year, organizers had to do a little rearranging to fit them all on the museum’s main level.

“People like it when they come in through the door and see all the trees,” Andries said. Plus, staying on the main floor of the museum helps to make the tree walk more accessible to visitors. This time around, there were a few spots where museum staff had to move display cases to make room for the tree walk.

Andries said this year she had seen a lot of museum visitors come to see the tree walk, which runs from the third Saturday in November through New Year’s Eve. Weekends in December were particularly busy, she said.

“Even this past week after Christmas was busy,” she said.

The Christmas tree displays draw in repeat visitors from year to year. Andries said some area families have even come to the museum to take holiday photos next to the trees.

“It’s become a tradition for a lot of people,” she said.