Lignumvitae Christmas
The Lignumvitae Christmas event is the recipient of the 2022 Special Event of the Year for Cultural Resources.
Lignumvitae Christmas was a popular event for more than 10 years but was discontinued after Hurricane Irma in 2017. In 2022, the Friends of Islamorada Area State Parks started the event again.
This event offered more than 160 visitors a chance to hear live old-time music; play games with their kids that were popular in the 1930s like croquet, badminton and marbles; experience the historic Matheson House Visitor Center decorated for the holidays; enjoy stories told by a local historian; and take ranger-led tours through trails normally off limits to the public. More than 25 volunteers worked the event providing music, leading games with visitors, and helping with hikes, recycling, set up and breakdown.
Through dedication of a small number of friends board members, local band members, a local restaurant and a local boat company, we were able to bring back Lignumvitae Christmas! The friends group is already recruiting volunteers and planning the event to be bigger and better next year.
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