BRADENTON BEACH – Take a walk down Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach and you’ll find it difficult not to be in the holiday spirit.
On Saturday, Nov. 20, the city lit the most Christmas lights ever seen on the Island. Street lights, palm trees, business fronts and even the famous clock tower are draped in lights and garland. The centerpiece of this amazing display is a 40-foot tree adorned with thousands of lights and more than 600 hand-placed ornaments.
The tree lighting ceremony was an all-day event that began with the early afternoon arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrived by golf cart.
“The reindeer wanted to be here, but it just hasn’t cooled off quite enough for their liking, so we let them stay at the North Pole. They always look forward to coming to Anna Maria Island on Christmas Eve because I treat them with grouper bites before we head over to Miami,” said Santa.
As the sun set on a beautiful Island afternoon, a crowd of a few hundred people gathered while the Magic of Manatee Sweet Adelines sang traditional carols in front of the tree. At 6 p.m., the crowd chanted a 10-second countdown for Mayor John Chappie, who lit the tree alongside City Attorney Ricinda Perry and Commissioner Ralph Cole. The evening’s festivities continued with an outdoor showing of “A Christmas Story” on an inflatable movie screen next to the tree.
“This is the culmination of 30 years of hard work in the commercial area of Bradenton Beach. Trimmers Holiday Decor, the company that put up all the lights and decorations, did an amazing job, always here on the spot working to get this done, they’re amazing,” said Mayor Chappie.
This huge holiday undertaking came at a cost of more than $40,000 and was made possible by the Community Redevelopment Agency, the City of Bradenton Beach, and local merchants. The lights come on at sunset and will be in place through the end of December.
