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Ukulele Players Add Harmony to Winter Park Christmas Parade

Jim Carchidi

Winter Park Ukulele Society has contributed its own festive vibe to the parade since 2015. Photos by: Jim Carchidi

The Winter Park Christmas Parade is preparing for its 72nd march down Park Avenue, and along with it comes a flurry of familiar sights and sounds. Amid the many renditions of Yuletide tunes are the distinctive melodies of the Winter Park Ukulele Society.

The group has met for more than 10 years and despite the name, it’s not limited to locals. Ukulele enthusiasts from Orlando, Maitland, and other Central Florida cities have been joining the fun since the start and keep in touch via Facebook pages like Orlando Ukulele Family, Joy Ukulele Club of Central Florida, and Central Florida Ukulele Players.

Dick Wilson

“We first met by Park Avenue, in Central Park,” said member and organizer Dick Wilson.“Everybody printed out music and there was a small group of us, and word got around.”

Wilson began playing the ukulele at the age of 13 but career and family responsibilities eventually required him to pause. He was inspired to resume his hobby in 2000 when he found a Martin ukulele at a garage sale. “They wanted $65 for it, ” he said. “I thought a Martin would be a quality purchase and that’s what started me back up. Some years later I found out it was worth $1,400 – it’s the gem of my collection.”

The official society meeting happens on the second Saturday of every month, from 10 a.m. to noon, in the Edyth Bush Theater at Winter Park Library. Virtual meet-ups and practices are also scheduled, and society member Greg Gent hosts online jams and tutorials that are posted on YouTube.

Players of all skill levels and age groups have been welcome in the society since the beginning.

The meeting attracts 40-45 members for discussions and jam sessions. Some also entertain nursing home residents and play local functions under the name, The Ukulele Drifters. According to Wilson, the society’s first major event was, and continues to be, the Winter Park Christmas Parade.

“We played our first Christmas parade in 2015,” he said. “It was something I had been wanting to do for a while and remembered in time to check into it. There was enough interest from the organizers, so we moved forward and have been going ever since.”

The 72nd Annual Winter Park Christmas Parade will happen Saturday, Dec. 7, 9-10:30 a.m. The city will close the following streets along the parade route:

The CRA is providing extra holiday parking at the corner of E. New England and South Knowles avenues. For more information on 72nd Annual Winter Park Christmas Parade, check the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce website.