BRADENTON BEACH –Christmas on Bridge Street on Saturday, Dec. 7 will bring food, music and a celebration of the city’s hurricane recovery to its main shopping district.
“We’re having Christmas on Bridge Street like we’ve not had Christmas on Bridge Street,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said at a Nov. 21 city commission meeting.
The city is partnering with the Bridge Street Merchants for the event.
“The merchant’s group said we’re overwhelmed, financially we’re tapped out. We’re just trying to stand back up and move ourselves forward,” Perry said. “And so we are making it happen.”
Budweiser will sponsor the event with a stage and alcoholic beverages. Perry is reaching out to local bands to provide music. A lineup of activities has not yet been announced.
“I’m still planning on having the Table of Hope,” she said. “We’re having a video where people can submit pictures of things they have seen or have experienced and we’re going to be playing that on a loop for people to see what we’ve done; we’re going to get that banner signed by anybody who wants to write anything they want on it.”
Perry said there will be limited free food offerings and attendees are also encouraged to support area restaurants. The street will be closed, and she invites local businesses, including those throughout the Island and Cortez, to participate as pop-up vendors.
“I don’t care if you’re in Holmes Beach or Anna Maria or Cortez, you were part of all this and I want you to be part of our celebration,” Perry said. “It will be a little food festival, with our Table of Hope to remind people to respect us in what we’ve been through but celebrate us because we’re strong and will come back stronger.”
The event kicks off at 2 p.m. and there will be kid-friendly activities early in the day. As the event progresses into the evening there will be an alcohol and noise ordinance waiver.
“People can have a great time celebrating, taking a breather from the reality of what you have been through, the hurt you have experienced,” she said.
Perry said, in addition to Budweiser, other businesses have made donations.
“Publix gave us $1,000,” she said. “We’re getting food and water from Wawa. I ran into Shawn Kaleta this morning and he asked me how much money we need. He will make sure his parking lot, and it is a business too, will reduce his parking fees down to something that is easier for people to pay.”
Perry said she was still working out details of the event, but said, “We know we’re not perfect, but it’s that imperfection that is perfect. And we want to celebrate that, so Dec. 7 is our big party that we’re back.”
