RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. (January 30, 2019)
The Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (RBCRA) in conjunction with the City of Riviera Beach, hosted the inaugural Winter Wonderland at the Marina Holiday Celebration on Friday, December 7, at the Riviera Beach Marina Event Center. Over 3,200 Palm Beach County residents and residents from surrounding counties attended the event, surpassing the RBCRA’s goal of 1,000.
The main highlight of the event was the tree lighting ceremony that took place at 7 p.m. Thousands of attendees gathered in the Marina’s courtyard and participated in the count down to the lighting of the magnificently decorated 20 ft. tall tree that will be housed at the Marina for the remainder of the holiday season. Children and families were pleasantly surprised with the release of snow at the end of the ceremony, upbeat music provided by Digital Vibez Inc., as well as free cookies, hot cocoa and small gifts for children.
Immediately following the tree lighting ceremony was the arrival of Summer Santa Claus who was escorted to the event in a fire truck parade by the Riviera Beach Fire and Police departments. Santa waved and smiled throughout Riviera Beach with holiday music and sirens blaring in the background, bringing joy not only to event attendees but also to the community. A giant adirondack chair created by Youth Empowerment Program (Y.E.P.) and Riviera Preparatory students housed Summer Santa, allowing him to take free pictures with children and families. The chair will remain at the Marina throughout the year and will be used as a focal point for visitors. The event also featured a mailbox where children sent postcards to Santa, musical performances by local choirs and youth, TikiMarket vendors, a free photobooth, and an adult only tent featuring a fruit and cheese display, wine, and live Jazz music.
This inaugural event was one of many new initiatives launched by RBCRA to expose local children and families to new and unique opportunities in the City of Riviera Beach. Winter Wonderland at the Marina brought fun and families together to enjoy the holiday spirit. “The inaugural holiday tree lighting event was a shining example of the best Riviera Beach has to offer. Residents and friends from around the region came out as we show cased our children and businesses. We were able to embrace each other across all sorts of diverse lines: appealing to children, millennials, and grandparents like myself. We say Riviera Beach is the best place to live, work, and play. That was personified on Friday night.” said Annetta Jenkins, Executive Director of the Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation (RBCDC). ” Winter Wonderland at the Marina was made possible through RBCRA in conjunction with local community partners and sponsors.