- April 23, 2024
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Flagler Beach hopes to inspire some holiday spirit this year, with a Christmas Parade plus a Starry Nights Christmas light show at Veterans Park.
The Flagler Beach Business Bureau is putting on the Starry Nights program for this second year this, looking to St. Augustine's Nights of Lights as an inspiration.
The show is expected to run for about two months.
"As businesses, we have a very hard time during the months of December and January," Flagler Beach Business Bureau President and Oceanside Beach Bar & Grill co-owner Johnny Lulgjuraj told Flagler Beach city commissioners at an Oct. 14 commission meeting. "As a resident, I feel like it's a time of healing: We've been through so much the last five years and we needed something that's going to bring some holiday spirit, some warm and welcomingness and some fun to our town, and so Starry Nights was birthed."
The park will be professionally decorated this year, Lulgjuraj said. And, on Mayor Suzie Johnston's recommendation, eight lifeguard chairs will also be decorated as part of a fundraiser to raise money for future Starry Nights events.
"It shouldn't cost the city anything and should be promoting tourism, but more importantly, community," Lulgjuraj said. "I've got three wonderful boys that are 5 and under ... and instead of traveling to St. Augustine, instead of traveling to Disney, I want to enjoy our little town."
The county's Tourism Development Council will also be decorating the Flagler Beach pier, and the Flagler Beach Business Bureau has encouraged member businesses to light up as well.
"We've all agreed to make this a new staple event during the slowest time of the year, but also make it safe," Lulgjuraj said. Last year, because of COVID, the business bureau decided to spread the event over two months so people would be encouraged to get out and enjoy it, but wouldn't be clustered together.
There are many more partnerships this year, Lulgjuraj said, and to raise awareness, the city is including a message about the event with this month's water bill, while a sponsor is creating a flier for locals.
Lulgjuraj asked the City Commission's permission to open the light show with a First Friday event on Dec. 3, featuring the lighting of the pier.
First Friday sponsor Vern Shank supported Lulgjuraj's proposal.
"As Johnny said, the morale needs to be brought back, and no better time to do it than Christmas," Shank said. "... I'm all for it."
Commissioners agreed, and also supported a Christmas parade this year.
Flagler Beach City Manager William Whitson recommended keeping the parade on the short side — he suggested a cap of 40 entries — to limit potential COVID-19 exposure.
The parade had 100 entries last year, if each vehicle, including golf carts, was counted as a separate entry.
The parade is expected to occur on the afternoon of Saturday, Dec. 4.
