By LINDA CHION KENNEY

The sights and sounds of year-end holidays have been in full view, including at the Brandon Parade of Lights, populated in good part with south Hillsborough County units, and the 27-foot Christmas tree on display at Salty Shamrock in Apollo Beach.

Among the more than 100 registered units at the Brandon Parade of Lights, chaired this year by Melissa Canfield, co-owner of Grease Monkey in Ruskin, were students from Riverview High. They represented both the JROTC and band programs, bringing large sounds to the colorful affair.

Craig Beckinger, working on beginning construction of the grand tree in Apollo Beach, at the Salty Shamrock

Floats representing schools, sports programs, churches, politicians, small businesses, larger businesses, nonprofits, charities, utilities, political interests, youth organizations, seniors and more were in step at the parade, which traveled the course of Oakfield Drive from Lakewood Avenue and on through the Oakfield and Kings Avenue intersection. Also in the public school marching band category were students representing Armwood, Bloomingdale, Brandon and Newsome high schools.

The parade is presented by a committee of small business owners, with assistance as well from the Brandon Riverview Chamber of Commerce and the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce.

Two weeks earlier, in Apollo Beach, a tree-lighting ceremony was held at Salty Shamrock, where the towering Christmas tree stood earlier that day for the restaurant’s annual kid’s breakfast, complete with “reindeer, pancakes and all the good works.”

That was the word from Sean Rice, the Irish pub’s owner, who at the tree lighting later that night, Dec. 6, noted that he believed “this is the first time Apollo Beach has had a big tree.”

He credited Craig Beckinger, owner of ABC Event Planning, known also as An ABC Event, for taking on the paid assignment, to secure, light and decorate the grand tree, which took bundles of hours, lights, ornaments, greenery, plugs, poles and ladders to master. “The tree alone is 25 feet tall,” Beckinger said, of the artificial evergreen that took many calls to secure and track. “The star on top of it makes it 27 feet. It’s all for the community, and I’m honored to have been asked to make this happen.”

Working round the clock to build the tree, piece by piece, its resulting mass, in all its glory, is visible to passersby on the main highway. Salty Shamrock is at 6186 North U.S. 41, next door to 7-Eleven on one side and to Starbucks and additional storefronts on the other.

Rice arranged it so Mr. and Mrs. Claus would be in attendance for the Dec. 6 tree lighting, as well as members of the Core family, owners of Circles Restaurant in Apollo Beach, known for its deep ties in the community and waterfront dining options.

Indeed, records show that the name Apollo Beach was not adopted until 1958, when Francis J. Corr, a developer, stepped in, acquired the land, made significant improvements and selected the name to reflect the community’s sunny character. The Dickmans had stepped in roughly three decades earlier, acquiring the land to establish a waterfront community.

Linda Chion Kenney photos
The 27-foot Christmas tree (including lighted star on top), at the Salty Shamrock in Apollo Beach can be seen on route 41

With a touch of history and a mass of colorful sights and sounds, festivities kicked off in Apollo Beach with the grand tree lighting, which preceded the Brandon Parade of Lights by two weeks. Beckinger was involved both in securing and decorating the Apollo Beach tree and serving on the committee that brought the parade to southeast Hillsborough County.
A Belmont community resident, Beckinger, with ABC resources, decorated the VIP section for the parade, where treats, wreaths, several trees and blowing “snow” set the tone near the grandstand judging area.

“I hope everybody is in the Christmas spirit,” Rice said, as he welcomed attendees to his Apollo Beach event, adding “Merry Christmas.”

To add to the yuletide glow, Tampa Bay’s Festival of Lights and Santa’s Village continues through Dec. 28 at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds in Dover, at 215 Sydney Washer Road. Gates open at 6 p.m. for the light-show drive-through, featuring more than 1.5 million lights. Santa’s walk-through village, with food, fire pits, entertainment, craft stations, gift vendors, a reindeer carousel, self-guided tour through olden days at Hometown Hillsborough and more, is set to be open Dec. 18-28. Santa’s last day in attendance is Dec. 24. For more, visit www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com or call 813-737-3247.