By Aileen Delgado & Samantha Jimenez
From overly decorated homes to community events, every town has its own unique way of welcoming the Holiday season. In the small town of Miami Lakes, this is no different.
Families from all over Miami-Dade County came together on November 30th to greet the christmas spirit as they attended the annual Festival of Lights at Main Street. There was singing, dancing, live performances, treats, photo booths –– and even Santa Claus.
The tradition has followed the town for the past 35 years, and every year it is just as special as the one prior to it. As the countdown strikes and Santa’s tiny helpers surround the human-sized light switch, people’s faces gradually begin to light up along with the lights that illuminate every street.
“This is a tradition, and people seem to never get tired of it. Many people say this is very much built as a ‘Hallmark’ feeling. We talk about Miami Lakes and its hometown feel, and this is just one of those events where you run into your neighbors, the people that live in the next street over, and the kids that you went to school with,” said Andrea Graham, Customer and Corporate Relations Manager at The Graham Companies.
“Everyone is here –– and it’s the kick-off to the holidays. I grew up here, I was born and raised, and I’m more than glad to be back here to watch my own son get to be a part of the whole experience.”
But the excitement did not stop there.
Moments after, Miami Lakes Middle School (MLMS) band members were led onto the stage by band director Mrs. Peña. The young band –– made up of myriad instruments –– played several holiday tunes for the mass audience, and even had them unite in a merry sing-along.
“We’ve been doing this since i’ve been with the band for 20 years. It’s always been a tradition. I think the community, us gathering together, and just feeling good about family has always been the best part. The little ones especially, because watching them sing and dance along together is always heartwarming,” said Ms. Peña, MLMS band director.
As the brightly lit town ignited holiday cheer, several children were encouraged to go visit a variety of stands that were spread out into every street. Kids could pass by the popcorn or cotton candy stand for a sweet treat, or even stop by the mini golf course and receive a short lesson from Shula’s Golf Club director.
“Every year in the past 5 years that Shula’s has come out has been a fun experience, and it only gets better. Watching the kids practice and learn how to play golf, and just watching the smiles on the kids’ faces when they finally get the hang of it is always a nice feeling,” said Kenny Fill, Director of golf at Shula’s Golf Club. “The best feeling out of all of this though is watching these kids interact and spend time together with their families.”
Once the school performances came to a close, several children along with their loved ones gathered by the stage to dance to every song the DJ played through the pulsating speakers. Out of all performances, this was definitely the best one.
A landmark, a community, a home––the little town of Miami Lakes will always find its way into the hearts of its people. Whether it is bringing the christmas spirit to all of Miami, or simply serving as a staple of one’s childhood traditions, the town never fails to bring everyone together.
“This is just an event for people in the community to come together and have a dose of holiday spirit, because with everything going on around the world, people really just need a little happiness in their lives,” said Yasmine Harell, New World School of the Arts (NWSA) college sophomore.
