Hundreds flock to Midtown Palm Beach for holiday tree-lighting festivities
Hundreds of Palm Beach residents came together on a brisk evening Tuesday for the lighting of the holiday trees at Memorial Park and on Worth Avenue.
The festivities began with the Memorial Park tree lighting, which for the first time featured a choir performance by students from the Rosarian Academy, directed by Jeanne Bennet.
Guests were invited to bring unwrapped gifts in support of the Palm Beach United Way Annual Holiday Toy Drive.
Patricia Sans, president of the Palm Beach Midtown Business Association, the organization hosting the tree lighting at just south of Town Hall, welcomed guests and thanked them for coming. Town Council members Lew Crampton and Ted Cooney and Council President Margaret Zeidman were among the officials who also spoke at the event.
"Enjoy yourselves, enjoy life here in Palm Beach. ... We are very, very glad you are here,” said an especially lively Crampton. “And our little friend with the red suit, and the long white beard, and the furry little collar, he may be just around the corner.”
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To the delight of kids, as the Rosarian chorus performed “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” the jolly old elf himself arrived in a Palm Beach Fire Rescue Fire Engine.
After a few laughs and singalongs with Santa Claus, the tree was lit, and with time remaining before the Worth Avenue tree-lighting ceremony, kids lined up for photos with the jolly man.
Sans said told the Daily News this year’s Memorial Park tree lighting had one of the largest turnouts in memory, thanks to the Rosarian parents who attended the tree lighting.
“There are a lot of faces in the audience I did not recognize,” she said while passing out candy canes to kids. “So, isn’t that nice to have new friends?”
Worth Avenue Tree Lighting
Next, it was time for the lighting of Worth Avenue's iconic Christmas tree. Hundreds of people flooded the famed street for the event, which began with a holiday parade of decorated golf carts and classic cars driven by residents.
Participants included the family of Palm Beach Police and Fire Foundation Co-chair John Preston, driving a “winter wonderland” themed golf cart, complete with nutcrackers and an inflatable Santa and Frosty the Snowman dancing on the cart’s roof.
Not one to be outdone, Santa Claus was chauffeured in a 1941 candy-red Cadillac convertible, with matching red interior.
With the massive crowd squeezed into the sidewalks of Worth Avenue, the 15-second countdown began a few minutes ahead of time, ending in cheers as the two-story-tall tree came alive with lights. People quickly dispersed as they sought a location for the perfect holiday card photo, or, like residents Gary and Caren Marder, went in search of friends to celebrate the evening.
“It was a beautiful time, seeing friends of ours here. It's such a joyous time,” said Gary Marder.
For those raised on the island, like Bliss Berit, the Worth Avenue tree lighting has become a yearly tradition.
“I come every year, and it is so much fun, I’ve been since I was little, and every year so many people show up,” Berit said.
Robin Bernstein, former U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic, was among those taking pictures near the Worth Avenue tree. She commended the Palm Beach Police department for their presence throughout the event’s proceedings.
“It’s nice that we can do this and feel safe,” she said. “We are really lucky to live here.”
Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at dlasa@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Hundreds flock to Midtown Palm Beach for holiday tree lightings
