On Saturday, December 4th, the magic of the holidays returned to downtown Clearwater as Santa Claus flipped the switch to light up the 28th Annual Winter Wonderland. Hundreds of children and their families poured into the festive village located at the northeast corner of Drew Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue to celebrate the official start of the season.

Hosted by the Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV) and the Church of Scientology, Winter Wonderland has become a cherished tradition for local families, offering a safe and joyful place to celebrate the holidays. Assisting Santa in kicking off the festivities were Neil Brickfield, Executive Director of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Police Athletic League, Lisa Mansell, PR representative for the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, and Pam Ryan Anderson, Chairperson of CCV.

“For almost 3 decades, our Winter Wonderland has had an unbroken record as a safe, family fun festival,” said Mrs. Anderson. “This Holiday ‘village’ is every child’s magical playground where they can decorate cookies with Mrs. Claus, visit with Santa and his elves, ride the Winter Wonderland train, and take a spin on the human gyroscope.”

The heart of Winter Wonderland is its team of volunteers—members of CCV who spend over 5,500 hours each year building, decorating, and operating the village to bring holiday joy to the community.

Winter Wonderland is open Wednesday through Sunday until December 19th, with extended days December 20–23, from 6 PM to 9 PM. Entry is free, but guests are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy or non-perishable food item to support families in need. A small fee applies for some activities and refreshments available at Rudy’s Café.

About Clearwater Community Volunteers

The Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV) is a non-profit organization powered entirely by volunteers. Founded by parishioners of the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, CCV is known for hosting large-scale community events like the Ginormous Easter Egg Hunt, Fashions with Flair, and Winter Wonderland. With the motto “Love and Help Children,” CCV has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past 28 years to benefit local charities, including Nourish to Flourish, Shriners Hospitals for Children Tampa, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of the Suncoast, and many more.

For more information, visit ccvfl.org.