“Mixed Nuts,” non-commerical winner

CAPTIVA ISLAND, Fla. (Dec. 10, 2013)—Winners of the Fourth Annual Decorated Golf Cart Parade were announced and honored on Saturday, Dec. 7 as part of the 2013 Captiva Holiday Village festivities.

Sponsored for the third year in a row by Royal Shell Companies, this year’s parade had 50 decorated carts traveling from Chadwick’s Square at South Seas Island Resort to Andy Rosse Lane, looping around Chapin and Wiles Drive and back past the Green Flash restaurant before returning to South Seas.

“Snow Renourishment,” best in show winner

This year’s winners included American Realty of Captiva’s “Snow Renourishment” taking best in show, Kingfisher Vacations’ “Rudolphin” taking the commercial category and “Mixed Nuts” taking the non-commercial category for the third straight year, featuring Betsy Hanna, Terry McClure, Cannella Mullins, Kim Nealon, Kathleen Nealon and Deb Wendall.

“Rudolphin,” commercial winner

All entries were required to incorporate a holiday theme. A portion of the $20 entrance fee benefitted the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation.

This year’s event judges included the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Executive Director Erick Lindblad, NBC-2 News anchor Kellie Burns and internationally published travel writer and author Steve Winston.

“Colossal thanks to the Royal Shell Companies for sponsoring the Fourth Annual Captiva Holiday Village Golf Cart Parade,” said Parade Chair Denice Beggs. “Also many thanks to South Seas Island Resort for hosting the awards party and Doc Ford’s for musical entertainment.”

This annual parade was made possible by a number of community businesses, service organizations, public servants and residents including the Decorated Golf Cart Parade Committee, the Sanibel & Captiva Chamber of Commerce, the Island Sun Newspaper, South Seas Island Resort, ‘Tween Waters Inn Island Resort and Best Boat Club & Rentals, Captiva Cruises, YOLO Watersports and Stilwell Enterprises/Key Lime Bistro.

Last year’s Decorated Golf Cart Parade will be featured in one of the Travel Channel’s holiday specials “Xtreme Xmas,” which will premiere Sunday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.

From a California Christmas ice kingdom and an underwater holiday mermaid show to an extravagant festive boat parade and a turbo-charged manmade Santa-sleigh, “Xtreme Xmas” takes viewers inside America’s most unusual, wild, wacky, awe-inspiring and bizarre Christmas celebrations. The Travel Channel crisscrossed the country featuring the men and women who take Christmas celebrations to ultimate heights and dive deep into holiday celebrations unlike any other, including a Christmas golf cart parade in Florida, a holiday doggie dress-up contest in Conway, SC, an all-night rave in San Francisco aptly titled “The Elf Party” and more.

The four-weekend-long Captiva Holiday Village launched its 2013 spectacular the Friday after Thanksgiving with fireworks, tree lightings, holiday readings, musical performances and more.

Each special-themed weekend will be a fun-filled extravaganza of sight and sound, set against the backdrop of the Gulf of Mexico and evening sunsets. During the event weekends, visitors will enjoy everything from a lighted boat parade and Junkanoo dancers to a Marching Mullet Parade and newly added Holiday Stroll at South Seas Island Resort.

For more information or a complete schedule of events, visit www.CaptivaHolidayVillage.com.

The 2013 Captiva Holiday Village continues with the following events: 

Dec. 12

  • Ancient Mariners lecture by Archeologist Theresa Schober and sponsored by SCCF at 7:30 p.m. in the Wakefield Room at ‘Tween Waters
  • South Seas Holiday Stroll from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

 

Dec. 13

  • Marching Mullet Parade at Jensen’s Twin Palms at 5 p.m.
  • Captiva Memories and Holiday Captiva Island Historical Society film at Jensen’s Twin Palms at 7 p.m.
  • South Seas Holiday Stroll from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

 

Dec. 14

  • Seafood and Fishing Festival at Jensen’s Twin Palms from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • American Realty of Captiva Junkanoo Parade
  • The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company Lighted Boat Parade at 6 p.m.
  • Post Boat Parade Party at Keylime Bistro with live entertainment, food and beverages
  • Holiday Hayride through the village to South Seas Island Resort and back from 6 to 11 p.m.
  • South Seas Holiday Stroll from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

 

Dec. 15

  • Carol Sing at Chapel By the Sea followed by refreshments at the Captiva Community Center
  • South Seas Holiday Stroll from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

 

Dec. 19 to 22

  • South Seas Holiday Stroll from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

About Captiva Island

Captiva Island is a barrier island in the tranquil Gulf of Mexico on Florida’s southwest coast. North of Sanibel Island and West of Fort Myers, world-renowned Captiva is also just three hours from Tampa and Fort Lauderdale by car. A narrow seashell-laden island famous for its dramatic sunrises and sunsets, celebrity visitors and creative residents, Captiva is home to private waterfront estates, two large resorts and several charming small inns. The heart of the island is its vibrant ‘downtown,’ coined “the village,” in which visitors and locals stroll among colorful galleries, shops and restaurants with live music and water views. As the gateway to the out-islands within Pine Island Sound, Captiva is also a watersports destination and offers boaters multiple marinas with overnight dockage. It has been featured in countless magazines and newspapers around the world.