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Winter Park to Unveil New Holiday Sights, Sounds – and Smells

The small-town vibe will continue, but with new designs and multisensory experiences by the Park Avenue District. Image courtesy of: Park Avenue District

Halloween accessories are still going into storage but the Yuletide clock has been quietly ticking for weeks in downtown Winter Park. The tide of seasonal décor is quickly coming in and the Park Avenue District (PAD) will present a refresh of the city’s holiday displays with Christmas on Park, November 14 through January 1.

Carina Sexton

PAD was accepted last year into the Florida Main Street program and its priorities include preserving local history while promoting downtown businesses and supporting economic vitality. Executive Director Carina Sexton told the32789 that Christmas on Park is designed with all of that in mind. “Anybody can make a beautiful Christmas,” she said. “We wanted to have a Christmas that’s proprietary to Winter Park and really celebrates who we are.”

The small-town holiday spirit will remain, but with new colors, more lights, and immersive additions. Sexton and PAD Design Committee Chair Tracy Brand-Liffey spearheaded the effort, which was largely based on community input. “Every resident at every one of our meetings talks about not losing sight of our history,” Brand-Liffey said. “Maintaining charm is also vital to Winter Park, and sophistication is a big part of the Park Avenue attraction. Those three keywords guide everything Park Avenue District does.”

History, charm, and sophistication

Southern style and historic ties to the citrus industry will be represented by new wreaths featuring Temple oranges, white magnolias, pinecones, and white berries. “White flowers and berries will also carry an element of sophistication,” Sexton added. The double-sided wreaths will hang on light poles with eight-foot versions positioned on City Hall and other buildings. The color pallet will extend into flower beds with white poinsettias planted along Park Avenue and in Central Park. And it all will tie into a new tree with its own additions.

Tracy Brand-Liffey

“It will be a whole new creative aesthetic that will link back to the rest of the décor, but will also be a multisensory experience,” Brand-Liffey said of the Christmas tree. Speakers will be set behind the branches to add a musical element and scent diffusers will fill the air with a fragrance mixture of citrus and magnolia along with other aromatic accents.

Lights, please

Another vital part of the new experience is lighting, and the district is not skimping. A plan to outline rooftops and second-story windows on both sides of Park Avenue has been in motion since early October and managed to withstand Hurricane Milton. The lighted silhouette is meant to create a unifying nighttime vision that will accompany 800 mesh globe lights accenting the trees along the right of way. Brand-Liffey said the globes were also chosen as a unifying element. “Several residents use them on their trees; they’ll connect what’s happening downtown with what residents have on their own property and in the neighborhoods.”

Light installations on Park Avenue buildings began in early October and tree lighting in Central Park is nearing completion. Photos by: Jim Carchidi

No official plan is in place to mirror the PAD decor on Park Avenue storefronts, but details have been shared with shop owners. According to Sexton, interest has been expressed. “We’ve heard from quite a few that they wanted to reflect this year’s décor and put their own twist on it.”

Photo ops

Life-sized holiday cards that debuted in 2021 have been a hit with selfie seekers, but are being replaced with new photo ops that include a walk-through feature known as a “cathedral of lights.” Acquired through Winter Park-based Johannessen Lights, it will be installed near the Christmas tree to incorporate the holiday scents and music. Additional speakers will also be positioned in Central Park to spread the holiday music experience, and the greenspace in front of City Hall will host its own special attraction.

The cathedral of lights and carousel are among the most eye-catching changes to this year’s downtown holiday celebration. Their popularity and guest feedback will be considered when planning next year’s event. Photos courtesy of: Park Avenue District

“We have a carousel arriving on November 29th,” Sexton said. The themed amusement ride will be positioned by the large oak tree next to City Hall, which will be accented with lights, offering a unique focal point to attract foot traffic. “People will be lining up for rides and photos,” she added.

Timing is everything

The décor will be unveiled in phases with buildings, trees, and hanging globes lighted on November 14. The carousel will debut on the 29th and the traditional Christmas tree lighting will happen on December 6 during the Winter on the Avenue event, hosted by Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and the City of Winter Park. All the elements will remain in place through January 1.

A map of the new decorations and experiences shows the new tree and cathedral of lights in Central Park by Morse Boulevard and the carousel by City Hall at Park and Lyman avenues. Image courtesy of: Giddy Paperie

Brand-Liffey, who owns New General Café & Coffee Bar, has retail experience in visual merchandising and said meeting the deadlines are nothing short of a Christmas miracle. “I used to do this for big-box retailers, and it would take a full year from the ideation to finding the vendors and getting into production. We did this in about five months.” She and Sexton credit assistance from city departments for the accomplishment; from the electric utility to Parks & Recreation. But finding the money was citywide achievement.

Holiday budgets

The holiday funding plan combined the city’s previous decorations budget of $96,000 with an additional investment that matched PAD fundraising efforts up to $100,000. The proposal was put before commissioners in May and approved in June with the city’s contribution split between the general fund and Community Redevelopment Agency budget. “When the city was approached by the Park Avenue District to enhance and improve holiday decorations along Park Avenue, we were very supportive of their plans,” said Mayor Sheila DeCiccio. “The PAD has already successfully raised thousands of dollars. Therefore, our matching funds seemed like the perfect holiday gift to our residents and merchants.”

“This truly is a community event with so many residents and business stepping up,” Sexton said, adding that funding partners include AdventHealth, Hill Grey Seven, Orlando Health and many Winter Park residents.

PAD is celebrating the funding effort with the Light Up Park patrons party on November 14. Tickets are also available for purchase as fundraising for next year is about to begin. “As much as we were able to achieve, there are some ideas we didn’t have time for,” Brand-Liffey said. Aside from the cathedral and carousel, the decorative elements were investments that will be stored and reused. But several elements of the 2024 celebration are considered a test, and public reaction and input will be considered when planning for the 2025 holiday season begins – probably before this season ends.

“We’re hoping this year will spark new interest and that Winter Park could be one of the top holiday destinations,” Brand-Liffey said. “The possibilities are endless, but we’re really proud of what we were able to accomplish this year.”

For more information on PAD events, Holiday on Park, and ways to get involved, long onto parkavenuedistrict.com.