The Brief
A downtown St. Pete bar has fully transformed into a Christmas wonderland, weeks before Thanksgiving.
The team behind “The Xmas Bar” said it’s not a pop-up, but a full-scale reimagining of the space, complete with professional lights, themed rooms, and visits from Santa himself.
The early start is all about spreading holiday spirit, even if the calendar says it’s still fall.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The holidays have arrived early at The Xmas Bar in downtown St. Petersburg. The popular spot, a seasonal transformation of “Glamper,” opened its doors last Friday after a 72-hour decorating marathon by Forward Hospitality Partner, Mark Acchione and his team.
They didn’t just hang a few ornaments; they painted windows, installed professional lighting and turned the entire venue into a full-blown winter wonderland.
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“We’re not a pop-up, we’re a transformation,” Acchione said. “We actually paint, we hire an artist to come in and paint the windows… the lights are professionally installed.”
The backstory
Acchione usually opens his Christmas-themed bar closer to Thanksgiving — but with recent chilly weather and growing anticipation, he decided to kick off the festivities early this year.
“It got down to 30 this morning,” he said. “So, it’s time for holiday cheer.”
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The bar features themed spaces, festive cocktails and nostalgic décor that takes visitors “back to the eight-year-old in them.”
The other side
While some may think it’s too soon to start celebrating, guests seem to disagree. Families and locals have been flocking in to soak up the holiday atmosphere.
“A Christmas bar…that’s all I need to know,” said visitor Alex Klinger. “You kind of sold me, I don’t need to know anything else.”
Even Santa Claus himself made an appearance on Tuesday, arriving on his motorcycle.
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“There’s no reason [the holiday spirit] has to be limited to a specific time of year,” Santa said. “There are people that carry that Christmas spirit, love, joy, and happiness all your life.”
What’s next
Santa plans to make more appearances throughout the season, and The Xmas Bar will remain open through the holidays, offering themed nights and special events as the countdown to Christmas begins. To learn more, click here.
The Source
This story was reported by FOX 13’s Jennifer Kveglis. Interviews were conducted on-site with owner Mark Acchione, visitor Alex Klinger and Santa Claus.