STUART, Fla. — The holiday season officially began Friday evening in downtown Stuart as the city flipped the switch on its Christmas tree lighting, drawing families to the streets for an evening of festive activities.
“Face-painting and the cookies—hot chocolate,” said members of the Ardito family, describing some of the activities that made the event special.
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“[The kids] love the festivities they get to do—face painting—and they like to do all the crafts,” the family added, highlighting the hands-on fun available for children.
The Panza family, who dressed in full holiday attire, said attending the tree lighting is a holiday staple. “It’s a tradition. We always come every single Friday after Thanksgiving,” they said.
“It’s a great family-oriented event and it brings everyone together in the community to come see the tree lighting,” the Panza family added.
The event included a visit from Santa, Christmas treats, and other activities designed to entertain children and families alike.
Harper Smith, a young attendee, said, “I like seeing like all the people here together and it’s fun.”
It's a tradition that lasted generations, bringing smiles to so many young faces this time of year.
“I did it when I was a kid. I get to do it with my kids, so it’s awesome,” the Ardito family said.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalists to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
