Over 6,000 Nocatee residents and guests visited the community’s Splash Waterpark last weekend to celebrate the holiday season at Nocatee-A-Glow.
The biggest and brightest event of the year for the master-planned community, Nocatee-A-Glow once again transformed the Splash Waterpark area into a Florida rendition of a winter wonderland. Christmas lights and decorations adorned the amenity’s facilities, allowing residents and their friends and family to get into the holiday spirit.
Held both Dec. 1 and 2, the event was each night headlined by a tree lighting countdown that kicked off the Splash Waterpark’s Christmas light show. Nocatee Community Manager David Ray said the light show will run throughout December every night from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The show runs every 30 minutes, features three different shows (traditional, contemporary and variety) and is open to the public.
Festivities at Nocatee-A-Glow also included North Pole visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a live nativity scene, horse drawn carriage rides, train rides, a food truck village, various live music performances, a “snow” zone, Christmas caroling and more.
“Around every corner, there’s something to do,” said Ray. “Few people see it all.”
Ray also noted that the annual event is entirely planned and executed by Nocatee staff. He said staff has been putting up the Christmas lights and programming them for about a month. Nocatee-A-Glow started in 2010 with solely the lighting of a Christmas tree. Ray said it has grown into the community’s biggest event of the year, with planning for next year’s event scheduled to start this week.
“It’s a very nervous time to the lighting of the tree,” said Ray, “but it’s the best time in bringing the community together and seeing the joy this brings the residents, unlike any event we have.”
