JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — (Note: The video above is from December 2020.)
Jacksonville Beach Deck The Chairs has returned!
The event marked by decorated lifeguard chairs accompanied by Christmas lights and holiday music set against the ocean backdrop begins Nov. 24 and runs through Jan. 1, 2022.
After 2020 saw record attendance numbers, organizers say the expectations are high for 2021. The event attracted an estimated 90,000 visitors over 42 days last year.
"We knew there would be a desire to get out and see lights, especially for families with kids," Deck The Chairs Founder Kurtis Loftus said in a news release. "I think we were all amazed by how many showed up."
For the 2021 holiday season's event, there will be a new interactive light and music exhibit called SeaSongs Spectacle. The custom-fabricated exhibit will showcase 12 lifeguard chairs designed to represent two "whimsical" fish, featuring motion-activated musical instruments.
The new exhibit will be debuted on opening night.
Other event features returning this year include:
- Beaches Go Green Octopus Garden
- Moonlight Movies
- Tuba Christmas / Santa
- Weekly Children’s Dance Programming
And on Jan. 1, 2022, there will be a Gator Bowl Pep Rally at 4:30 p.m.
The event takes place nightly from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Seawalk Pavilion, with musical light shows taking place at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m. each night. It is free and open to the public.
Jax Beach Deck The Chairs is also handicap accessible and pet friendly! There will be concessions on the weekends and certain scheduled holiday nights.
For information on sponsorship opportunities, email info@deckthechairs.org. To learn more about the event or to volunteer, visit www.deckthechairs.org.