Islanders welcome holiday season with tree lighting
Holiday celebrants look across Gulf Drive Dec. 2 as the lights of a Christmas tree outside of the Hancock Whitney Bank in Holmes Beach come alive at the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Tree Lighting & Holmes Beach Holiday Open House. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
Santa Claus welcomes Holmes Beach kids Jack Melancon, 9, left, Simon Messinger, 7, Ella Melancon, 8, and Lucas Urbiola, 8, right, Dec. 1 to visit him in his Privateer sleigh during the chamber’s tree lighting event. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
Members of the Anna Maria Island Privateers squeeze into Santa Claus’ sleigh for a picture Dec. 1 during the chamber’s tree lighting and open house event. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce volunteers Skip St. John and Peg Miller, right, pour cups of wine Dec. 1 for adult guests attending the chamber tree lighting and open house event. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
Holiday lights and ornaments shine Dec. 1 on a Christmas tree — contributed to the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce by an anonymous donor and set up by the city of Holmes Beach’s public works crew — at Hancock Whitney Bank, 5324 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
The CrossPointe Fellowship Family sings “Hallelujah” Dec. 1 during the chamber’s Tree Lighting & Holmes Beach Holiday Open House. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
A crowd of people gather Dec. 1 in the parking lot outside of the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce office, 5313 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, to celebrate the holiday season with free food and drinks at the annual open house. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
Kathy Nunnally, left, sales manager, Sharon Hoatland, director of marketing, right, and Jan Terpstra, all of A Paradise Realty, put on an outdoor Christmas party with the Marine Corps Reserve-Desoto Auxiliary 588, for the Holmes Beach Downtown Open House. They collected gifts for Toys for Tots and raffled a Yeti cooler filled with booze for a donation to the Marine Toys for Tots program. The realty-rental office is at 5201 Gulf Drive, just south of the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce. Islander Photo: Bonner Joy