Surf’s Up For Sandi: World-Famous Sand Tree Will Light Up The Waterfront December 5

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (November 20, 2019) – West Palm Beach’s favorite 35-foot sand tree, Sandi, is ready to shine during this year’s Holiday in Paradise campaign. On December 5, from 6-10 p.m. during a special Holiday Tree Lighting edition of Clematis by Night, Sandi will come to life for the season with light, music, and her trademark sassy personality. After traveling the beaches of the world in the off-season in search of the big wave, she has returned with a dream of cleaner beaches and oceans. This holiday season, Sandi will team up with the Office of Sustainability to bring continued awareness to efforts to protect our natural resources for the West Palm Beach community. Sandi has plenty of exciting new plans for visitors and returning guests, but she will also continue to perform nightly melodies and light shows from the Great Lawn, west of Flagler Drive on North Clematis Street, through New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, December 31, 2019. 

“Sandi and the Holiday in Paradise programming have become a West Palm Beach tradition for many families,” said City of West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “The holiday season is about coming together and celebrating the magic of the season. As we celebrate 125 years as a city, I am delighted that Sandi will bring more awareness about sustainability and the importance of protecting our beaches, Intracoastal Waterway, and the environment for the next generation.” 

After several weeks of preparation, and delivery, and sculpting, the Holiday Tree Lighting will be a huge celebration as Sandi makes her 2019 debut in a spectacular synchronized light and music show welcoming the season in South Florida style. In addition to Sandi’s big reveal, the evening will include live music from The Bay Kings, face painters, a holiday shopping boutique, and a visit from Santa Claus himself. 

“This is always one of our most favorite times of the year,” said Mary Pinak, Community Events Manager for the City of West Palm Beach Department of Parks and Recreation. “People of all ages from near and far, look forward to Sandi’s return and the next chapter in her story. We are especially excited about this year’s theme, which acknowledges the City’s commitment to sustainability while recognizing how special it is to enjoy the holiday season in West Palm Beach with a mix of sun, surf and sand.”

In addition to the Sandi lighting, daily activities this year include:  

DAILY EVENTS/THINGS TO DO (starting the evening of 12/5 – 12/31): 

• Sandi, South Florida Icon & the World’s ONLY 700-ton Surfin’ Sand Tree |The Great Lawn

Sandi and her tribe come to life nightly during music and light shows on the quarter-hour, 6-10 PM daily. (Showtimes subject to change during special events.) Don’t miss Surf City on The Palm featuring sea cows surfing the curl, elves hanging ten, cool cats bodysurfing and sandier, surfin’ fun!

• SnowieVille | Great Lawn (Great Lawn on the West Palm Beach Waterfront, 100 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (N. Clematis St., just west of Flagler Drive)  

Open Mon. – Fri. from 6 – 10 PM and on Sat./Sun. from 12 noon – 10 PM | Free 

Visitors to the Great Lawn are encouraged to make their own life-size, tropical snowman for a seasonal selfie to remember! 

• Sandi’s Surf Shack featuring Glow FORE It Mini Golf | 10 AM-10 PM, North Clematis Trellis | 

Glow FORE It Mini Golf Information: Monday-Friday: 6-10 PM, Saturday-Sunday: Noon-10 PM | Monday-Wednesday: FREE! Thursday-Sunday: $2.50/pp

Check out the surfer gal side of Sandi, the star of Holiday in Paradise.  This is a great place to catch the vibe, take lots of photos for social media posting and even play a glowing nine-hole mini-golf course.    

• Selfie spots | throughout the Great Lawn 

Open daily | Free 

Get ready to “Hang Ten” with surf-related selfie spots; gingerbread and snowman cutouts for adults and children of all ages; and an oversize ornament, where multiple guests can sit inside and snap a shot. 

• Sandi Boutique and Mail | 10 AM-7 PM, West Palm Beach Visitor Center

Drop a letter to Sandi, everyone’s favorite seasonal sand tree. Visit the new mailbox at the West Palm Beach Visitors Center and jot her a note, old-school-style! Then check your mailbox at home, because you might get your own Sandi salty, sassy holiday cheer! Here, you can shop in Sandi’s Surfside Boutique for ornaments and Sandi swag.

• Sandi’s Fleet Market | 6-9 PM, December 12 during Clematis by Night | By the Blue Hut on the WPB Waterfront

Help Sandi promote reuse of aquatic equipment by purchasing used paddleboards, kayaks, snorkel gear, life vests, and more at a reduced price. The West Palm Beach Visitors Center will be selling newly retired, but in-good-condition and still-usable equipment to guests.

• Last Chance to See Sandi |December 31 until midnight

Come ‘wave’ goodbye bro!  See Sandi’s 2019 last hurrah for the year. Stop by Sandi Land to catch her final shows running until midnight. Play Glow FORE It Mini Golf, visit SnowieVille and swing by Sandi’s Surf Shack.

In addition to daily activities, the City of West Palm Beach has additional holiday programming throughout the month of December, including: 

• Clematis by Night | EVERY THURSDAY| 6-9 PM          

South Florida’s heritage event is Where the Party Begins.  Each week South Florida’s top surfboard designers will showcase the master craft of hand-shaping surfboards.  

• December 5: Special Hours for Tree Lighting, Entertainment 6-9:00 PM | Light Shows 7:00-10:00 PM |Band: The Bay Kings/Top 40 ** Shop for fabulous holiday gifts at the Tree Lighting Holiday Gift Boutique.**
• December 12:Plus Sandi’s Fleet Market – Catch the wave and buy some great quality used boards and water sports equipment.
  • OPENER: 5:30-6:20 PM St. Ann’s Catholic School 4th grade choir, middle school choir, and middle school band |The 4th annual performance by incredibly talented local students performing holiday songs.   
  • HEADLINER: Valerie Tyson (R&B/Top 40/Variety) www.valerietysonband.com
  • The Valerie Tyson Band is a soulful and electrifying band, that performs classical and modern music. The band specializes in today’s Top 40 hits, jazz, classic rock, R&B, and reggae and is known to keep the party rocking and the dance floor packed. 
• December 19: December 19: The Chris Thomas Band (Big Band/Jazz/Soul)  http://www.thechristhomasband.com/

• The Chris Thomas Band is a 19-piece ensemble, who will perform holiday music and a few vintage classics. The band’s members are all professionally trained musicians from colleges and universities around the U.S., as well as the Army and Navy bands. Band lead Chris Thomas is an exciting and interactive entertainer, fashioned in the way of the great performers of years gone by. The Chris Thomas Band is bringing that music back, bigger and better than ever before, to audiences all over the world. Be sure not to miss this nostalgic holiday show during Clematis by Night!

• December 26:  No Clematis by Night - Happy New Year!

West Palm Beach GreenMarket | EVERY SATURDAY, 9 AM-1 PM

Complete your holiday shopping at the region’s most popular market featuring local vendors offering fresh produce, flowers, unique gifts and more! Free parking at the Evernia Garage during market hours.   Throughout December kids can participate in surf-life activities such as ukulele lessons, surfboard painting, balancing games and more! Take epic photos inside the Surfing Florida Museum’s #SickTube. 

• DECEMBER 21 | Pancake Breakfast with Santa at the Waterfront Pavilion; 9-11 AM Join us for a delicious breakfast with Santa Claus for only $ 5.00 each. TICKETS REQUIRED. To purchase your tickets, go to Wpb.org/events
• DECEMBER 21 | GreenMarket Quasquicentennial Walking Tour will spotlight the last 125 years of city history with landmark stops and stories. These rain-or-shine tours begin at 10 a.m. by the seawall near the Mimosa Tent and end at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum. Tickets are $10 per person. hspbc.org/events/#historytours or call 561-832-4164 (x2).
• The screen on the Green featuring Sandi’s Pajama Party | Friday, December 13 starting at 6:00 PM on the Great Lawn| Wear your holiday-themed PJs and join Santa and Mrs. Claus for a Sandi-style pajama party. This Sandi-style PJ party is complete with movies, face-painting and prizes for the best family jammies!
  6:00 PM The Sick Tube will be on hand for surfboarding education and cool social media pics. Hang Ten and Ride the Curl!
  6:30 PM The Grinch (PG) (2018)
  8:00 PM The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (PG) (2018)  
• Sunday on the Waterfront | Sunday, December 15 | 4 – 7 PM | the Great Lawn/Palm Stage | The 7th annual Aloha Islanders show is the ultimate show of “Holiday in Paradise.” The surf’s always up as the Aloha Islanders perform their Tropical Holiday Spectacular in Sandi Land with their authentic, high-energy Polynesian entertainment for audiences of all ages. Come see the best beach cars in the area as we feature Buggies, Beach Vans, Woodies, Buses and more!  Sign up for the 7th Annual Conch Blowing Contest for prizes!

Sandi is returning to the waterfront for her eighth season. Since making her grand entrance in 2012, Sandi has received numerous international and regional awards and accolades, which include being named “Best New Event” and “Best Event within an Existing Festival” by the International Festivals and Events Association; and “Most Innovative Project” by the Florida Festivals and Events Association. Sandi has been featured in The Huffington Post, on Thrillist, on CNN and The Ellen Show and even has her very own, and wildly popular, Twitter account - @Sanditreewpb. The West Palm Beach Community Events Division has been recognized by the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA), the premier association supporting and enabling festival and event professionals worldwide, as one of six recipients of the 2019 “IFEA World Festival & Event City” award. 

Convenient parking is available in two City of West Palm Beach garages, Banyan, on the corner of Banyan Blvd. and Olive Ave., and Evernia, on the corner of Evernia St. and Olive Ave. The City’s garages are just a few blocks away from the action. Locals and visitors are encouraged to arrive the sustainable way – on the City’s free and fun trolley. The incredibly popular transport system cuts down on CO2 emissions by eliminating car trips and has several stops near Sandi and the other Holiday in Paradise elements. 

For more information about Sandi and Holiday in Paradise, or the City of West Palm Beach’s other free community events, please visit  www.wpb.org/events or call (561) 822-1515, (TTY: 800-855-8771). For news and updates, follow the City of West Palm Beach on Facebook @CityofWPB, on Twitter @westpalmbch. and Instagram @westpalmbch. 

HIP sponsors-to-date include: JFK Medical Center Main Campus, JFK Medical Center North Campus, and Palms West Hospital, JFK ER at Boynton Beach and JFK ER at Palm Beach Gardens, Dunkin’, HGreg.com, Discover The Palm Beaches, AT&T TV, Drive Shack, WPB Community Redevelopment Agency, The Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach Daily News, 97.9 WRMF, SUNNY 107.9, New Country 103.1, X 102.3, PARTY 96.3, News Talk 850 WFTL, FOX Sports 640 AM, Best Western Palm Beach Lakes, Hawthorne Suites by Wyndham West Palm Beach, WPBF 25 News , West Palm Beach Marriott, and AMP Music Lab.

HIP partners-to-date include:  West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority; Visit Palm Beach; Northwood Village; Historic Northwest Neighborhood; Cultural Council of Palm Beach County; Surfing Florida Museum; Palm Beach Outlets; Rosemary Square; Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach; Van, Surf & Skate Expo; City of WPB Office of Sustainability; and SkyBike.