Wellen Park announces holiday events schedule to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year

VENICE, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2023) – Wellen Park is lighting up the holiday season in signature style with a tree lighting and holiday celebration, the spirit of giving, and much more. Throughout December, Wellen Park is hosting family-friendly events in Downtown Wellen, which are complemented by CoolToday Park’s annual Braves Jingle Jam and Tomahawk 5K.

            “The holidays really capture the essence of Wellen Park and our community’s emphasis on joy and heartfelt connections,” said Christine Masney, vice president of marketing of Wellen Park. “We have planned fun, meaningful experiences that are unique to Wellen Park for families, friends and neighbors to create memories they will cherish for years to come.”

            The upcoming events take place in Downtown Wellen and Wellen Park. From Light Up Wellen to a fun-filled weekend of festivities at CoolToday Park, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the holidays at Wellen Park.

December’s calendar reflects the vibrant spirit of Wellen Park and foreshadows a full winter season of activities. For more information, visit wellenpark.com/events.

Nov. 17-Dec. 5

The Salvation Army of Sarasota County Angel Tree

Wellen Park Welcome Center, daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Downtown Wellen, during Friday Night concerts

Downtown Wellen, during Fresh Harvest farmers market on Sunday

A holiday tradition since 1979, the Salvation Army Angel Tree shares the joy of Christmas morning with millions of children across the country. Wellen Park participants select an angel from the Christmas tree in the Welcome Center that contains wish list items, shop for new clothing and toys on the child’s wish list and return gifts to the Welcome Center by Dec. 7. Donations are distributed to local children who seldom receive Christmas gifts. The angel tree will also be on display at Downtown Wellen’s Friday Night concerts and at the Sunday Fresh Harvest farmers market. Look for it at the Wellen Park ambassador horse trailer kiosk adjacent to the Great Lawn.

Saturday, Dec. 2

Braves Tomahawk 5K

CoolToday Park, 18800 S. West Villages Parkway, 7:30 a.m.

The family-friendly race and fan favorite, now in its fifth year, covers a lot of territory – a flat course takes runners along roads near the park and behind the scenes of the Atlanta Braves’ spring training stadium before looping around the on-field warning track and a dramatic third-base finish televised on the 40-by-80-foot scoreboard. Tickets are $45 and benefit the Atlanta Braves Foundation. To register, visit raceroster.com or cooltodaypark.com.

Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 2-3

Fifth Annual Braves Jingle Jam

CoolToday Park, 18800 S. West Villages Parkway, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The park transforms into a magical holiday wonderland with season-themed crafts and activities for children, family events and contests, live music, horse and carriage rides, plus a holiday craft market for one-of-a-kind gift giving. No holiday event is complete without a parade or the man of the month – Santa Claus. Caddy Carts hosts Jingle Jam’s annual golf cart parade Sunday at 5:30 p.m. with a decorating party from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. (register online at cooltodaypark.com/events/caddycartparade by Dec. 2). This year, the golf parade will make its way through the streets of Downtown Wellen and attendees can watch the parade along Wellen Park Boulevard to catch all the decorated golf carts. If it’s anything like previous years, plan to be wowed by the creativity of community residents. Learn more about Wellen Park’s Jingle Jam Parade Watch Party at wellenpark.com/events/jingle-jam-golf-cart-parade.

For those who want to jumpstart their holiday merrymaking, CoolToday Park offers the third annual Beer Run Friday, Dec. 1, beginning at 6 p.m. Runners, joggers and walkers circle the concourse, enjoying a 10-ounce draft beer or soft drink at every quarter mile. Tickets are $25 and include a T-shirt and three beverages. Register at raceroster.com.

For more information about Jingle Jam, call the park at 941-413-5000 or visit the events tab at cooltodaypark.com.

Friday, Dec. 8

Glow Bike Parade

Downtown Wellen, 6 to 7 p.m. 

Deck out your bicycle with LED holiday lighting and be sure to dress up and show off your festive vibe in this festive bike ride led by Kind Vibes Outfitters. The ride will start in Downtown Wellen, near The Banyan House restaurant, and navigate through Wellen Park. Full details, including a route map and registration can be found wellenpark.com/events/glow-bike-ride.

Friday-Sunday, Dec. 8-10

Habitat for Humanity Cottages for Kids Playhouse Display
Downtown Wellen 

Wellen Park and its builder partners have come together with Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County for the second year to build kid-size cottage playhouses that will be donated to families through Habitat for Humanity. The cottages will be on display in Downtown Wellen during the Light Up Wellen! Tree Lighting & Holiday Celebration event Saturday, Dec. 9.

Saturday, Dec. 9

Light Up Wellen! Tree Lighting & Holiday Celebration

Downtown Wellen, 3 to 10:30 p.m.

Celebrate the season with a spectacular line up of Christmas sights and sounds in Downtown Wellen Park. There will be local schools and community choir performances, photo opportunities with Santa, a traditional tree lighting ceremony, ugly Christmas sweater/t-shirt dance party, ice dancers, live music on the Solis Hall stage, ornament-decorating, hot chocolate, and so much more. For more information on Light Up Wellen!, visit wellenpark.com/events/lightupwellentreelightingholidaycelebration.

About Downtown Wellen

Downtown Wellen is the region’s newest social and gathering spot, offering restaurants, boutiques, beauty services, and medical and professional offices. The downtown’s thoughtfully designed spaces create unique outdoor experiences – from intimate parks, a natural playground and a living room shaded by a decades-old relocated live oak tree to larger gathering spaces like the Great Lawn for community festivals, markets, celebrations and events, and the lakefront fountain and splashpad. Solis Hall features an outdoor stage, a lakefront patio and an easy flow from inside spaces to neighboring alfresco areas.

The pedestrian-friendly downtown emphasizes heartfelt connections to community and nature and celebrates a waterfront vibe with the 80-acre Grand Lake providing a scenic backdrop and opportunities for fishing and paddle sports. Visitors can enjoy time on the water and along downtown’s 3-mile lakefront trail with on-site bicycle, e-bike, kayak and paddleboard rentals at Kind Vibes Outfitters.

Also open is The Yard, offering a playful outdoor environment with a dining area, games and activities, and ultra-casual food and beverage choices served counter style from retrofitted shipping containers. The Yard features gourmet ballpark favorites from Atlanta Braves-affiliated Pop Dawgs, New England-style seafood at Claw & Co. and the ultra-casual eatery Lakeside Bites, owned and operated by the proprietors of the adjacent Kind Vibes Outfitters.

Located at 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice, Downtown Wellen can be accessed directly from Preto Boulevard and U.S. 41, just west of South River Road. A future downtown entry directly from U.S. 41 and Wellen Park Boulevard is currently under construction.

Learn more about Downtown Wellen and access a complete list of businesses at wellenpark.com/shop-dine.

About Wellen Park

Consistently ranked among the U.S.’s top-selling communities annually by prominent real estate consulting firm RCLCO, Wellen Park offers a mix of single-family and multifamily residential, commercial and recreational options. The community currently has approximately 9,500 residents, and at full buildout will have more than 50,000 residents and 22,500 homes within its three distinct districts: West Villages, Downtown Wellen and Playmore.

Wellen Park’s expanding residential choices include new-construction single-family homes in picturesque neighborhoods, a bundled golf and country club community, paired and attached villas, coach homes and condominiums. Rental options offer one- to three-bedroom luxury apartments and single-family homes, an apartment community for active adults 55 and older, and world-class independent, assisted living and memory care.

Wellen Park is close to top-ranked beaches and the area’s many attractions.

To learn more about Downtown Wellen and living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Contact:

Jennifer Hamilton, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, 239-275-5758, [email protected]