Holiday Festival of Lights kicks off the holiday season
Holiday celebrants by the thousands filled the heart of the South Cape Saturday to take part in a tradition approaching its 40th year — the Holiday Festival of Lights.
Organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral and title-sponsored again by IncredibleBank, the street festival along Cape Coral Parkway offered a hometown party replete with street vendors, live entertainment, snow-covered hills for sledding, a grand tree lighting and face time — and photos — with Santa.
The most popular attraction for younger attendees was, once again, the sledding hill, featuring 15 tons of the cold stuff.
Sarah Decker, now a mom to three, said she hadn’t been to the Festival of Lights since she was little girl, but remembered the sledding hill as her favorite part of the event.
“I remember the snow sledding,” Decker reminisced.
She watched her husband, Nick, race down the manmade hill holding the couple’s 4-year-old son, Cayden. Both father and child smiled wildly.
“Tonight,” Decker added, “I told my kids we should start doing this every year!”
Sarah Decker was among those now bringing the next generation of Cape kids to an event remembered fondly.
Another staple of the Festival of Lights is the Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral.
Once again the group sponsored the free Tiny Tots Train Ride that had people lining up for a lift well before dark.
Randee Nazario ducked her head before climbing into one of the train’s tiny seats along with her son, Nicholas.
“We come to the event every year,” Nazario said. “My son just wants to come to ride this train.”
Nicholas Nazario sat next to his mom and listened for the conductor to call, “All Aboard!”
The conductor drove in loops and zigzags along the side streets. Once the ride began, Nicholas’s brother Javier’s entire expression was alive. His grin never faded.
Along with sponsoring the train ride, Kiwanis volunteers handed out free stuffed animals.
Sarah Varahona is a freshman at Cape Coral High School. She and two of her friends worked the giveaway booth.
“If I have spare time, I like to volunteer with Kiwanis,” Varahona said.
The booth was buzzing with kids who came to select a free stuffie. Varahona held up several options for each child, until the recipient found the perfect selection to keep.
Adjacent to the Kiwanis booth, a portion of the roadway was roped off to form a stage, one of four featuring entertainment this year.
Dance Dimensions was among groups that performed in front of the growing crowd.
Each of the dancers wore glitter on her cheeks, and big speakers played familiar Christmas songs while the troupe danced in the street.
Festive food added to the night’s holiday mood.
Funnel cake perfume filled the air and multiple boys ran in and out of the crowd carrying pink cotton candy.
And what Holiday Festival of Lights would be a festival without lights — and Santa?
Santa arrived at the South Cape Town Center — Big John’s to Cape pioneers — to officially kick off Cape Coral’s holiday season with the lighting of the Christmas Tree.
Pictures with Santa followed.