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Holiday Bliss comes to Matlacha this weekend

By Staff | Dec 2, 2008

In the spirit of holiday giving, members of the Matlacha Civic Association will present “Holiday Bliss, Island Style” this weekend. On Saturday, Dec. 6, join the civic association for an afternoon of great food, activities for the whole family and live entertainment.

The annual Holiday Bliss will kick off at 1 p.m. at the Matlacha Community Park. The fun will begin with performances in the Community Center where entertainers will take the indoor and outdoor stages all afternoon. Among the performers will be the Pine Island Elementary School Eagle Choir, Island Cloggers and the Pine Island Dancers, who will perform indoors. Outdoors visitors will find entertainment by Gil from the band Alice Grouper; Guy Galinski, 95, who will stun listeners with his harmonica licks; Pine Island’s own vocalist Megan Coice; and Gary Simmons of Matlacha along with his daughter and two other professional musicians who will play a collection of holiday songs.

Later in the afternoon, the kids will have a chance to tell Santa their Christmas wishes as he will arrive at the park at 3:15 p.m. Arriving by fire engine, Santa will be available for photos with the children between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.

In addition to a visit with Old St. Nick, children will find a host of other activities throughout the day. Courtesy of WildChild Gallery in Matlacha, the children can write letters to Santa, get their faces painted and make snowflakes, Christmas cards and angels for the tree. The children also can learn to clog along with the Island Cloggers and ride on a genuine steam engine train.

Throughout the event, visitors can participate in 50/50 raffle drawings with the proceeds to benefit the Pine Island Food Pantry. In addition to the raffles, the Matlacha Civic Association will be accepting food donations for the pantry as well.

For a donation to the civic association, attendees can purchase hot dogs, drinks and cookies and the children can eat for free. As for seniors, there will be free coffee and cookies provided in the Community Center during each of the performances.

The ever-popular Matlacha Hookers singers will be traveling through the park and surrounding area adding to the holiday spirit with rousing Christmas carols at 4:30 p.m., to be followed by the annual costume parade around the park at 5:30 p.m. In addition to costume competitions for both adults and children, again this year Pamper Pup dog groomers will sponsor a dog costume contest. The civic association will award a $50 cash prize for the best child’s costume as well as adult costume. The winners of each of the three costume competitions will be announced at the end of the parade route at the Olde Fish House Marina. All are welcome to participate in the parade and members of the civic association invite residents and visitors to decorate a bicycle, wagon, go cart or any other mode of travel appropriate for the park setting and become part of the fun. Those who simply would like to walk the parade route are welcome as well.

Following the parade, coffee, hot chocolate, beer and cookies will be served at Olde Fish House for participants and spectators alike.

For more information about Holiday Bliss Island Style, call organizer Deb Cundall at 282-8817 or association president Bill Stoelker at 282-9540.



To go

What: Holiday Bliss Island Style

Where: Matlacha Community Park

When: Saturday, Dec. 6, 1 p.m.

Who: Matlacha Civic Association