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Christmas Spirit Promoted In Dade City Stroll

Tribune file photo (2006)

Decorated homes, music and dancers are part of the magic of Church Street Christmas, a longtime Dade City tradition.

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By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 20, 2008

DADE CITY - A picture perfect, Norman Rockwell Christmas. This is how organizer Steve Smith describes Church Street Christmas, an annual tradition celebrating its third decade in Dade City.

Scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday on Church Street, known more recently as Church Avenue, this free event offers a return to time-honored Christmas traditions and festivities. The event draws about 30,000 people each year.

"This is our gift to the community, an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life," said Smith, who has lived on the street for seven years with wife, Terry, and daughters, Amanda and Hayley. "It's a stroll that celebrates the Christmas spirit."

The Church Street Christmas stroll will take walkers over red brick pavers bordered by luminaria, where they'll see decorated homes and giant Christmas cards sponsored by local businesses that contain holiday greetings. Musical entertainment will include strolling Dickens carolers, along with local singers, jazz bands and stringed trios. Dade City jazz musician Valerie Gillespie and the young singers and dancers of Showstoppers are among the performers.

"We have everything from jazz type music to string symphony songs," Smith said. "You can come all three evenings and not see the same performance twice."

Also at the event, complimentary hot chocolate, coffee, cider, and water will be available.

"Nothing is for sale at Church Street Christmas," Smith said. "We have no vendors; you can't buy anything."

Smith said that Church Street Christmas originated as a collaborative effort among the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches located on Church Street. Through the years, the event has evolved to include participation from residents and businesspeople, and is intended to represent the beauty and traditions of the Dade City area.

This year marked the introduction of the first Church Street Christmas Golf Tournament on Dec. 7 at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club. Twenty-eight professional athletes joined local business owners and residents for the tournament, organized by Smith. Also helping out were former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Ricky Reynolds and Lori Smith.

"We appreciate the golf tournament sponsors and other generous donors who have made it possible for us to preserve and enhance this unique event that has been a holiday tradition in our community for decades," said Steve Smith in a news release.

"With the economic hardships that are facing many this holiday season, we feel it is more important than ever to continue to offer this free celebration that so many in our community look forward to each year."

"We're keeping the tradition alive and better than ever," Smith said.

CHURCH STREET CHRISTMAS

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday

WHERE: Church Avenue, Dade City

FOR INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS: www.churchstreetchristmas.com.

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