Beacon of HOPE to present the 7th annual “Holiday House of HOPE”
The Beacon of HOPE will present the 7th annual “Holiday House of HOPE” beginning this Thursday, Dec. 1, and continuing through Saturday, Dec. 3.
The grounds of Tarpon Lodge offer a perfect setting for this special event.
“Everyone works so hard in the weeks leading up to the event, decorating the grounds with lights and other holiday ornamentation,” Beacon president Elsie Stearns said. “And, of course, the Lodge, as always, will be decorated beautifully and filled with some of the islands’ finest artisans and vendors.
“I’m really excited about Holiday House this year,” Stearns said. “Our miniature trees are fabulous this year. We have 16 tabletop trees including trees from Broadway Palms Dinner Theater, Chico’s, and the Matlacha Hookers are including several gift certificates attached to the tree, and Saltwater Smokehouse is adding a sports package that will provide the food for a game day.”
Tabletop trees have also been decorated and donated from Towboat US, Bobby Holloway Jr. Memorial, Matlacha Wellness, Pine Island Realty, Island Floors and Interiors, Painted Conch, Pine Island Elementary teachers, The J.A.’s, Four Winds Marina, Scarlett Player Massage, Raymond James and Randall Research Center.
Holiday House is both an indoor and outdoor event.
Vendors inside Tarpon Lodge will include CW Fudge Chocolate Candyland (where everything is edible), Old Florida Outpost, Sanibel Soul Jewelry, PI Attic Holiday Bazaar, Reel Chase along with Artist Monica Urbanska, Island Time Fashions & Gifts Fashion Extravaganza.
“We will kick off the event on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 4 p.m.,” Stearns said. “Our first night is always ‘Family Night’ and there are lots of children. Once again Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive by boat in true island fashion shortly after 5 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will then go into the gazebo to meet the children.”
The full-sized Christmas tree at the Lodge has been decorated with150 ornaments hand painted by local artists. This tree will be raffled off – tickets are sold at $25 each.
“We also have carousel horses from the ‘Doll Lady’ of Matlacha,” Stearns said. “Helen O’Rourke McClary’s carousel horses will be up for bid and in her honor we will put one of her carousel horses on display at the Beacon store – the Attic.”
“The outdoor buffet is being provided by Tarpon Lodge and will begin at 6 p.m. There are gifts for the kids, and even a holiday wrapping station,” Stearns said. “So people can purchase a gift ,go to the craft table to make a name tag and have it wrapped all at the same time.”
“Family Night” will include performances by the 40-member Pine Island Choir and the North Fort Myers Academy of the Arts Steel Drum Band
Residents and guests can visit their favorite authors on Friday and Saturday.
Marty Ambrose, author of “Coastal Corpse,” has written a series of books featuring her main character and amateur sleuth, Mallie Monroe.
Fran Thomas is a local author and former editor of the Pine Island Eagle. Her book, “The Lady is a Mayor,” is the first in a series of Calusa Town Novella series.
“This is a highly fictionalized version of of Pine Island that I call Calusa,” Thomas said. “Every character is fictional although I call on many of our island characters for inspiration.
Mitch Grant, who will also be on hand, is in the midst of writing his next book in the “St. James City Murder Series.”
Admission is $10 and overflow parking is available at Pineland Marina its golf cart will shuttle people back and forth. Tarpon Lodge is also setting up a wine and beer bar outside plus appetizers with guitar music.
Hours of the Holiday House are 4-7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1; and 5:30-10 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3.
The Tarpon Lodge is at 13771 Waterfront Drive in PineIand. To contact the Lodge, call 239-283-3999.